Saving Tobey
by Night N. Gail
Summary: "I'm telling you, WordGirl, that kid is a time bomb. You think he's a menace now? Wait until he's a teenager and his emotions are running wild. Wait until he's an adult and he's not afraid of his mother anymore. It won't be pretty, I can promise you that." -:- Post-series
1. Apprehension

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'Rhyme & Reason.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Well, here I am after a long fanfiction hiatus, writing for _WordGirl_ , of all things. *shrugs* What can I say? I love good children's stories, and while I'm sure not everyone would agree, I think WordGirl counts. Call me crazy, but I see a _lot_ of substantial elements in this seemingly innocuous cartoon that just _beg_ to be fleshed out and explored on a deeper level, and as you will soon learn from reading this fic, my favorite example is Tobey. Most of the WordGirl characters at least charm me, but Tobey is the only one who deeply fascinates me. He's the only one who has so many layers to his personality and motivations that I found it was actually kind of hard for me to get inside his head, and so naturally that meant I had to try. :P I hope the veterans of this fandom will enjoy my contribution. :)**

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Apprehension [ap-ri- **hen** -sh _uh_ n] – suspicion or fear of future trouble or evil.

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Dr. Two-Brains wouldn't know what hit him. He'd picked the wrong day to try to turn all the fish in the city aquarium into giant Goldfish crackers.

While dozens of screaming visitors poured out of the main entrance, WordGirl zipped into the building, clenching her fists as her frustration boiled over. Captain Huggyface shrieked for her to slow down, his lanky chimp arms wrapped tightly around her neck. He was nearly catapulted off her back when she halted instantly, but WordGirl was too flustered to pay him any mind, and she barely noticed when he jumped from her back onto a pelican statue hanging from the ceiling.

In the center of a huge lobby lined with all manner of tanks, decorations, and habitats, one visitor/animal _clearly_ didn't belong. The mouse-brained mad scientist laughed maniacally at the controls of a machine the same size and shape as a freshly punched hole in the wall. The gizmo resembled a construction crane, except it had five arms that all ended in ray guns firing in every direction, and when the colorful beams of energy hit the tanks the animals inside transformed into oven-baked versions of themselves. The operator didn't seem to care or even notice that they would all be soaked before he had the chance to eat any of them. That was typical.

The villain's pink eyes turned up to look at WordGirl, and he regarded her with his usual challenging smile. "Well, if it isn't WordGirl. Here to see my latest breakthrough? It turns each species into a cracker with a different cheese flavor. I wonder what flavor it would choose for a little alien girl…"

"I'm warning you, Dr. Two-Brains," WordGirl snarled, pointing straight at him with one hand and making a fist with the other, "I am _not_ in the best mood right now."

She charged, but had to dodge a flavor blast that came her way. Zigzagging toward the machine, she managed to get a hold of one of the ray arms and ripped it off with a single hateful pull, using it to bat aside the arm that attacked her from the left.

"Wow, you weren't kidding," Two-Brains observed. "What're you so miffed about?"

"Miffed?" one of the villain's henchmen asked, shrugging beside his boss's contraption.

"Miffed means annoyed or put into an irritable mood because of something frustrating that happened," WordGirl sneered. "And don't even get me started! I've been fighting Tobey's robots for the past two hours! He destroyed three buildings, my favorite park bench, made me miss lunch, and I don't even know what the whole thing was about!"

"Uh-huh, that's nice," Dr. Two-Brains said, trying to give her the brush-off. "Now hold still while I turn you and your sidekick into fish chips."

WordGirl dropped the metal appendage she was holding and retreated in a flash when two rays fired simultaneously in her direction. She wasn't about to let that stop her, though. He'd asked what she was angry about, and he was going to get the _whole_ answer.

"I mean, come _on_ ," she complained loudly, dashing back and forth to dodge the beams zapping constantly at her. "Why in the world would you destroy a state building, a movie theater, and a dry cleaner? It doesn't make any logical sense! He's supposed to be a genius, isn't he?"

Dr. Two-Brains frowned, jerking multiple joysticks back and forth in his ongoing effort to blast her. "Well, you're supposed to be a superhero, and you're not even _trying_ to destroy my evil Goldfish machine anymore, so—"

"I'm just so sick of dealing with him! I can't even go to school—I mean, fly _over_ the school without worrying about what kind of crazy robot scheme he's going to come up with next. It's driving me crazy!"

"Boy, you weren't kidding about not getting you started, either," Two-Brains drawled, groaning in frustration. "Listen, could you either keep still or keep quiet? Because this battle is starting to feel kind of un-sided."

"I am _serious_. If I have to listen to one more gloating rant in that infuriating fake accent of his, I think I'll—!"

"Oh, _enough_ already!" Dr. Two-Brains yelled, squeezing hard on the controls of his machine. "Tobey's a pain, I get it. You ought to be grateful he's not worse."

"Worse?" WordGirl snapped. "How could he be worse?"

"How could he be worse?" the mad scientist repeated with a sinister chuckle. "He's your age isn't he?"

"Yeah," WordGirl muttered, her anger giving way to curiosity.

"And you're, what, twelve?"

"Twelve and a half," WordGirl corrected, crossing her arms. "So what?"

Two-Brains shrugged. "Look, all I'm saying is that if you can't handle him now, you've got another thing coming."

"What do you mean?" the young superhero asked, starting to feel nervous for reasons she didn't completely understand.

"Just what I said," Two-Brains replied. "I'm telling you, WordGirl, that kid is a time bomb. You think he's a menace _now_? Wait until he's a teenager and his emotions are running wild. Wait until he's an adult and he's not afraid of his mother anymore. It won't be pretty, I can promise you that. He won't be twelve forever, and as he gets older he's just going to get smarter, more powerful, and more evil. Now can we please forget about Tobey and finish _our_ battle?"

WordGirl didn't respond. What Two-Brains said about Tobey had stirred in her a strange feeling of deep concern. His words made a scary sort of sense, and she found herself mentally running through the scenarios he had mentioned. The possibilities sent a chill down her spine.

Her stupor was broken by the sound of Captain Huggyface shrieking in her ear as he tackled her out of the way of a blast from the doctor's machine. They both fell into an open-top fish tank with a splash, and when they popped their heads back up from the water the villain was already making his escape.

"That battle was a huge disappointment," he shouted back to her from his machine as his henchmen pushed several crates full of soggy fish crackers out the giant hole in the wall. "You'd better get back in form before my next caper, WordGirl!"

And with that he followed his henchmen out the entrance-turned-exit that they had made, and was gone.

WordGirl might have still been able to stop him if she'd tried, but all her fighting spirit had left her. With a flustered sigh she lifted her sidekick out of the smelly aquarium water, and once they were on the ground he shook the moisture from his fur while she wrung out her hair, lost in thought.

 _"_ _You think he's a menace_ now _?"_ Dr. Two-Brains' words repeated in her mind. _"He won't be twelve forever, and as he gets older he's just going to get smarter, more powerful, and more evil._ _"_

Huggy gave a concerned chirp, asking if she was okay, and WordGirl looked into his worried eyes with a somber expression of her own.

"Do you think he's right?" she asked, her voice steady but nervous. "Do you think Tobey will really get… worse?"

Captain Huggyface shrugged and moaned apologetically. WordGirl could tell, however, that she wasn't the only one who had taken the mad doctor's blather to heart.

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WordGirl landed in her front yard and, after taking a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, pressed the star on her chest. In a flash of light her superhero outfit transposed with her usual purple skirt, green sweater, and saddle shoes. She was back to being Becky Botsford again. If only she could change her train of thought as quickly as she could change her identity.

With a sigh she approached the front door to her house, but she stopped in her tracks when she picked up a voice from inside that she hadn't expected to hear. "I just don't know what to do with him, Sally," it said.

Becky gasped. "That's Mrs. McCallister."

Bob—now back in his diaper instead of his sidekick getup—squeaked a question.

"I think she's talking to Mom about Tobey," Becky answered. "Hold on…"

She stood by the door, and Bob waited quietly as she listened.

"He's still young," Mrs. Botsford said in a comforting tone. "I'm sure if you keep being firm with him he'll come around eventually."

"He's twelve!" Tobey's mother exclaimed, and Becky almost jumped in surprise. She had never heard the woman so upset. "He'll be thirteen soon, and you know better than anyone that teenagers can be tried as adults for serious crimes. With his record, do you think there's even a chance the courts will go easy on him?"

All was silent for a moment, and Becky was once again in shock. She'd never encountered a time when her mother was speechless before.

Mrs. McCallister heaved a wavering sigh, and her voice betrayed tears. "I just don't understand… Some days, when he's calm and happy, I can see the same sweet little boy he was years ago, before all this villain nonsense… but just when I'm starting to think that I've gotten through to him and that my baby has really come back to me, he just goes off and smashes a building! How am I supposed to deal with that?"

It was quiet for another long moment, and Becky noticed that she could hear her own heart racing. She felt… guilty. Mrs. McCallister had never been more to her than a colorful bit of background in her life, and occasionally a useful means of dealing with Tobey. As much as that boy drove _her_ crazy, Becky had never really thought about how it must be for his mother. Realizing that the woman was practically heartbroken with fear for her son's future painted the McCallister family in a completely different light. To think that all this time, while Becky had merely been _tolerating_ Tobey, his mother had been worrying herself ragged. That was just… so sad.

"There there, Claire," her mom cooed in a soothing tone. "You're doing your best for Tobey. Have faith in your son."

"I'm trying, Sally," Tobey's mother sniffled. "I really am trying…"

Becky bit her lip, and decided she'd heard enough. She grabbed Bob and zipped around the house to the upstairs window leading into her room. As she opened it and floated inside, her heart welled with compassion for Mrs. McCallister, as well as worry for the city's future. She didn't want to admit it, but Dr. Two-Brains had been right, and this new development with Tobey's mother proved it.

She collapsed on her bed, breathing heavily as she tried to sort through her jumbled thoughts. Bob gave an understanding moan and stood faithfully by her side.

"Wow," said a faceless voice she recognized all too well. "Things are really heating up in the drama department as you approach your teens, huh?"

"I know!" Becky agreed, throwing up her hands and then letting them flop back down onto her pillow. "Just a few months ago I almost lost my best friend in a secret identity crisis and now this!"

"That was pretty convenient timing, wouldn't you say? Dr. Two-Brains saying all that stuff about Tobey right before you overheard your mom talking to Mrs. McCallister about him?" He acted like he was trying to be subtle, though he clearly wasn't. Honestly, it was surprising he'd taken this long to say something. He must have been enjoying watching everything unfold.

"I'm used to convenient timing," Becky said. "What bothers me is that usually convenient timing means I need to do something."

"Do something about Tobey?" the Narrator asked. "What can you do about Tobey that you haven't been doing since the fifth grade?"

"I don't know," Becky groaned, covering her face in frustration. She perked up, however, and smiled as she remembered what—or rather _who_ —had opened this can of worms in the first place.

"But," she muttered in a sly voice, thoughtfully grasping her chin, "I _might_ know someone who does."

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" _For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."_

— _Jeremiah 29:11_

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _My Vision for 'Saving Tobey'_ _—_ If I could change one thing about WordGirl, it would be the level of emotional depth they're willing to explore. I get that it's a show for a very young audience, and the fact that they can't be serious for more than a couple seconds at a time has never really _bothered_ me. Still… I really would've liked to see the characters' struggles with issues of identity, acceptance, family, and friendship fleshed out in more detail—especially characters like Becky and Tobey, who are noticeably layered considering that they hail from such a two-dimensional story. My goal with this fanfic isn't to make WordGirl something it's not, but rather to explore what it could have been. To the best of my abilities I shall endeavor to make the story feel like something that could have actually happened in the canon, but also balance that pursuit with my personal mission to dig deeper into the lives and hearts of the characters.**

 **- _The Age-Old Enigma—_ Despite my efforts, I can't quite figure out the ages or age _difference_ between Becky and Tobey. Tobey's article on the WordGirl wiki says that he's already 12 in season 3, while Becky's article says that she's only 11 at the end of the series. That doesn't make sense to me because Tobey and Becky are in the same grade and class all throughout the series, and clearly this isn't because one of them is being held back. One thing that does seem fairly clear, however, is that at the start of the series Becky is 9 while Tobey is 10. Since they can't be very far apart in age, however, my headcanon is that they are at most a few months apart, and since Becky celebrates a birthday just a few episodes into the first season, this makes sense to me. The one area where I might be in mild conflict with the canon is that I've placed Becky at 12 ½ years old while also stating that the events of Rhyme and Reason happened 'a few months ago.' Like I said, though, neither the canon neither the wiki are 100% clear on the character's ages at the end, so let's just go with it, okay? For the purposes of this fanfic, Becky is 12 ½, Tobey is approaching 13, and the series ended a few months ago.**


	2. Recondite

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes**_ **'Book Ends,' 'Department Store Tobey,' and 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.'**

 **Foreword:**

 **This might be a good time to mention that I haven't actually seen all the episodes of WordGirl. ^^' It was canceled on PBS before I rediscovered it via my little sister's sudden fit of nostalgia. I think I've tracked down most of the really important episodes, but there's definitely stuff I'm missing, so if you notice any inconsistencies with the canon, please feel free to mention them along which the episode they pertain to. I'll do my best to track them down and watch them to 'educate' myself. :P**

 **On the flip side, it recently occurred to me that since WordGirl is a PBS show that has yet to see a proper DVD release and some of the episodes are elusive at best, I can't assume that my readers have seen all the same episodes that I have. So, as a courtesy to you lovely folks, I'm going to try my best to detail in the author's notes at the end of each chapter any episodes that I make reference to lest anyone get confused. If I mention an episode you haven't seen and you can't seem to find it, send me a PM and I'll see if I can help. :)**

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Recondite [ **rek** - _uh_ n-dahyt] – dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter.

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"Are you sure about this? Your plan sounds a bit dangerous if you ask me," the Narrator said, sounding a bit worried.

Captain Huggyface squealed in agreement from his perch on WordGirl's back as she flew high above the city.

"I'll admit it's risky," WordGirl explained, soaring decidedly forward with a single-minded purpose. "But I have to take the chance. The city's future is at stake."

She had spent a restless night brooding over what kind of evil Tobey would be capable of in the future if his development as a villain was left unchecked, and the imaginations her troubled mind had conjured up were more than a little unsettling. She saw him ten years from now as a mad scientist not unlike the city's resident cheese-loving supervillain, only more destructive, and with a far less simple obsession.

Dr. Two-Brains without his weaknesses… It was a frightening thought, but it reminded her of the reason she was seeking out the double-minded professor right now. He and Tobey had a lot in common. If anyone could help her figure out what to do about Tobey, it was Dr. Two-Brains.

The villain's evil lair came into view and WordGirl began her decent, adding with a salute, "Wish me luck!"

"Oh, I'll wish you more than luck," the Narrator muttered, but he gracefully went quiet as WordGirl blazed into the run-down warehouse through an open window.

Inside, she immediately recognized the white column of lab coat topped with an explosion of matching hair, hunched over a dilapidated work bench and muttering to himself. He straightened suddenly, still facing away from her, and brandished a colorful gizmo that looked like a high-tech squirt gun.

"Eureka," he shouted. "My desoggification ray is complete! Now I just need to test it on one of the fish crackers from my aquarium heist!"

"Excuse me," WordGirl interrupted, floating toward him and into the light as her sidekick tensed on her shoulders.

"WordGirl!" He spun around to face her, striking up a battle pose and a matching sinister smile. "Well, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting to run into you again until I surfaced for another cheese crime, but what the heck? I wouldn't mind a redo of that last battle."

"Actually, I—"

"En Garde, WordGirl!" Two-Brains shouted, interrupting _her_ this time as he brandished his ray gun. "You're about to become chronically dehydrated."

He fired several times, and WordGirl zipped around the warehouse avoiding the blasts until she was finally able to scream out, "Wait! I'm not here to battle you!"

The villain halted, his maniacal grin turning into a look of confused disappointment. "You're not?"

"I came to ask you about what you said earlier. About Tobey?"

"You're _still_ on that?" the doctor groaned, childishly dangling his arms to show his frustration. "Forget it, WordGirl, I'm not your personal villain consultant. Now either fight me or get outta here!"

He pointed his ironic little weapon at her and once more pelted her with gunfire. Undeterred, she continued to dodge his attacks, loudly chattering on between blasts, "But I think you were right about him!—What can I do about it?—I don't want Tobey to get worse!—You have to know something that might help, right? I mean—"

"Oh, for the love of cheese!" Dr. Two-Brains threw his hands in the air in yet another juvenile display of impatience. "If I help you figure out this Tobey thing, will you _please_ just focus of your battle with _me_?"

WordGirl smiled eagerly. "Yes, I promise!"

Captain Huggyface moaned in relief, and his head fell limp on her shoulder.

"All right, have a seat." Two-Brains gestured with his ray gun at the cheese couch across the room.

WordGirl geared herself into high alert and lowered herself onto the comfortable albeit odd-smelling cushions. Huggy dismounted and plopped down at her side, glancing around suspiciously… or perhaps hungrily. WordGirl fidgeted a little, then as casually as possible she said, "So… where are your henchmen?"

"Out to lunch," the doctor explained as he sat down next to her. "Said they wanted to eat something besides cheese." He frowned incredulously, like the concept was unfathomable to him, then sighed and looked WordGirl in the eyes. "Okay. So you want to keep Tobey from growing up to be the worst supervillain the city's ever seen, right?"

"Right." WordGirl nodded. "Is that possible?"

"Sure, it's completely possible," Dr. Two-Brains muttered with a shrug, "He's a kid. It's not like future's set in stone."

WordGirl's heart lifted with hope. "So, what can I do?"

"Well, you can stop enabling him for starters."

"Enabling him?" She crossed her arms and gave a sharp frown. "I don't enable Tobey."

The doctor raised an eyebrow at her. "You know what 'enable' _means_ , right?"

"Of course." Sticking her finger in the air, she confidently defined, "It means to give someone the power or ability to do something. So how can you say I'm enabling Tobey? I'm the one _stopping_ him most of the time."

"You're also the one rewarding him for all his bad behavior."

She blinked at him, bewildered. "What?"

Two-Brains sighed and rolled his eyes. "WordGirl, what would you say if I told you that Tobey's won every battle you've ever shown up to?"

"I'd say you're crazy, that's what I'd say."

Dr. Two-Brains gave a bashful smile. "Well, I _am_ a mad scientist, but seriously, _think_ about it. What is Tobey after when he wrecks the city?"

WordGirl paused to think for a moment. "Well, sometimes he's just mad about something."

"What about the rest of the time?"

She paused again. The _rest_ of the time? Reluctantly she raked over her memories of her battles with Tobey, forcing herself to ignore all the anger and frustration on her end and instead focus on what Tobey had actually been after. This was the one area where Tobey and Dr. Two-Brains were actually polar opposites. While Two-Brains only ever wanted one thing and came up with endless colorful ways to get it, Tobey had a single means of achieving a variety of goals. He used his robots to attack buildings, to win contests, to play dangerous large-scale games… How could she be expected to pin down his core motivation when it was always something… different?

Hold on… _Was_ it always different? Digging a little deeper, she honed in on the reason Tobey had done those things, and realized the obvious common denominator. He once threatened to destroy the library in order to lure her into a battle. He once ordered his robots to attack four different buildings in one day to force her to play a riddle game with him. Why, once he even set up twelve stationary robots across the city like pieces on a game board as part of an elaborate plan to expose her secret identity.

In a tone laced with befuddled realization, WordGirl slowly murmured, "I guess it's usually because of… _me?_ "

"Ding, we have a winner!" Dr. Two-Brains sang, gesturing with his hand like he was ringing a bell. "He likes fighting with you. So when you show up to fight, you're getting the idea in his twelve-year-old brain that destroying the city will get him exactly what he wants. You're _enabling_ him. Honestly, WordGirl, this is basic psychology. You know what psychology is, don'tcha?"

WordGirl's face scrunched into an offended frown. "Of course I know! Psychology is the study of—"

"You don't have to define it; I know what psychology means."

Out of nowhere the Narrator inserted, "Yeah, but the kids at home might not."

"Well, they can go ask their parents," Two-Brains snapped irritably. "Psychology was _not_ on today's word list! Look, WordGirl, if you want to have a chance of doing anything about Tobey, you're gonna have to get _your_ head around what's going on in _his_ head."

WordGirl looked forward and cupped her hand to whisper, "That's what psychology means."

"Nice one," the Narrator whispered back.

Turning her attention back to her 'personal villain consultant,' WordGirl puzzled on. "But why would he go to all that trouble just to fight me when he _knows_ I'm going to destroy all his robots?"

"Because he likes you." Dr. Two-Brains paused, then quickly added, "You know he likes you, right?"

"Of course."

"Good. I would've lost respect for your intelligence if you didn't know that."

"But still, I mean—Tobey _loves_ his robots! He pours hundreds of hours into building them and _re_ building them… Why would he throw all that away just to get me to fight with him?"

"Let me put it to you like this," the mad scientist said, putting his hands together in front of him so that they only touched at the fingertips. "Why do _I_ go to so much trouble to get cheese even though it gets me thrown in jail every time?"

WordGirl didn't have to think too hard about that one. "Because you love cheese more than anything."

"Exactly!" He pointed at her, smiling victoriously. "I care more about cheese than I care about freedom, so I'll sacrifice my freedom for cheese. And that's exactly the way it is for Tobey. He'll sacrifice his robots for you, because he cares more about you than about his robots. You, my dear, are his main cheese."

WordGirl blinked, caught dumbstruck somewhere between confused, disgusted, and… flattered? Tobey cared more about _her_ than his robots? That was sort of, maybe, just a little bit… sweet… in a weird, annoying, why-can't-he-just-be-normal kind of way. She took a long breath, once more trying to straighten out the tangled mess of thoughts that Two-Brains' bizarre analogy had left her, and asked in a perplexed tone, "So you're saying that… I'm cheese?"

"You're about to be," Dr. Two-Brains said with a snide smile, pointing his ray at her.

WordGirl threw up her hands in a panic, waving them forbiddingly in front of him and yelling, "Wait! I'm not finished yet!"

"Oh, come on, WordGirl! You ruined my perfect transition back into the battle!"

"Would've been _more_ perfect if that was actually a cheese ray," inserted the Narrator.

"Mind your own cheese wax!"

"Just give me a couple more minutes," WordGirl pleaded, clasping her hands girlishly front of her and making her best puppy-dog face. "Please?"

"Ugh," Two-Brains groaned with a roll of his bloodshot eyes. " _Fine_."

He dropped his ray in his lap and crossed his arms, shooting his nemesis a disgruntled frown as he relinquished the floor once more.

WordGirl took a deep breath to buy time while she figured out how to present her conundrum, then carefully explained, "I understand what you're saying, but… if I'm enabling Tobey by fighting him, then what am I supposed to do? I can't just _not_ fight him!"

"Sure you can. Just don't show up."

"But I can't just let him destroy the city!"

"So call his mom. Let _her_ deal with him. No offense, kid, but she does a better job than you, anyway."

WordGirl blinked, making herself brush off his insult in light of how true it was. Could it really be that simple?

"Okay," she said, struggling to collect her scattered thoughts and sort through them in her head at the same time. "So when he attacks the city I just call his mom and then ignore him? Will that really make him stop being a villain?"

"Probably not," said Dr. Two-Brains unhelpfully.

WordGirl groaned. And here she was starting to think they were getting somewhere. Clenching her fists in annoyance, she angrily blasted, "So what's the _point_?"

"Ignoring him is just your part in keeping him from getting worse," Two-Brains explained. "If you want him to actually change, you have to pay attention to him."

"But you just said I should ignore him!"

"When he's _wrecking the city_ you ignore him," he repeated, as though his meaning should be obvious. "You need to pay attention to him when he's _not_ wrecking the city."

WordGirl tensed, then shuddered. She could think of few things less appealing to her than spending her free time hanging out with Tobey.

"But… how is a little extra attention going to make him not want to be evil anymore?"

"Hey, why do you think you came to _me_ about this, WordGirl?" Two-Brains grumbled, pointing at himself with his thumb. "I was a boy genius once too, you know. I understand how this kid thinks. He's brilliant, he's misunderstood, he needs to be _validated_. In fact, I'd bet my left brain that's exactly why he's always causing trouble. He wants someone to recognize what he can do, even if they hate him for it."

The pink-eyed villain smiled suddenly and stared off into space as he went on. "I remember once when I was a kid my mother was too busy cooking to look at the thermal modulator I had built, so I used it to zap-fry the casserole she was making before she even got it in the oven. Turned it into a lump of charcoal instantly."

He chuckled the way most people would in remembrance of their first bicycle ride and gave a nostalgic sigh. "Classic."

"Wow," WordGirl muttered in surprise. "You did that?"

"Sure did. And that was before the mouse brain, mind you. All kids need attention, WordGirl, and I shouldn't have to tell _you_ that smart kids need special attention. How would _you_ feel if no one acknowledged your words unless you used them _against_ people?"

WordGirl was caught speechless at that question. The very thought of it was painful. "Oh… wow, I… I never thought about it like that. It would be horrible."

"Well, there you have it. Be nice to him when he's good and ignore him when he's bad. Problem solved. Now, if there's nothing else you want to discuss…"

He pointed his ray gun right at her, ending the conversation with a single decisive blast. WordGirl flashed out of the way just in time, and their battle resumed. After dodging a few well aimed shots that nearly turned her into a raisin, she shouted, "Huggy, now!"

Her sidekick pounced on Dr. Two-Brains from behind, and the two of them began tottering around in a spastic mess of screams and flailing arms. The young heroine seized her chance and snatched the _dehydration_ ray (as it should have been called) away from the mouse-brained villain. After she'd smashed it against her knee, she zipped around the room in a whirlwind that left Dr. Two-Brains tied up and Captain Huggyface once more perched safely on her back.

The mad scientist shook the dazed look from his face, then smiled as he announced, "Now _that's_ more like it."

For once, WordGirl didn't bother to come up with a cheesy retort about how he was going to jail. As soon as the thrill of battle had ended, her thoughts had immediately turned back to the conversation she'd not yet had the chance to brood over. The advice Two-Brains had given her was simple and sensible, and yet… she wondered if she had it in her to actually do it.

With a flustered sigh, she made her decision. For the sake of the city—perhaps even the world—she had to try.

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 _Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away._

— _Proverbs 22:15_

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 **Look at me go! Already psych-analyzing Tobey and I haven't even introduced him into the story yet. XP I think I had a little too much fun with this chapter. ^-^**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Title Scheme_ _—_ If I could change _two_ things about WordGirl, the _second_ would probably be the difficulty level of the words she defines. Again, I totally get that the show is meant for kids much younger than I was when I first discovered it, but it still would've been nice to actually learn some new words from watching it. I'm obviously working my own word definitions into the narrative wherever the occasion strikes, but for the most part they're still words that most teens and adults will already know, just because _really_ difficult words would be equally difficult to work into normal conversations. *-* Still, I wanted to have some fun playing with really outlandish words _somewhere_ , so I decided on the chapter header/title format you see before you. I went with a fairly well-known word for chapter 1, since the definition was so perfect, but my goal for future chapter titles is to find words that many of us have never even heard before. ;)**

 **- _The Name Game_ _—_ So, spelling nazi that I am, I wanted to make sure I had the proper spelling for all of the characters' names. Unfortunately, there's no general consensus on a couple of them. DX The WordGirl wiki concedes that official sources have used both 'Huggyface' and 'Huggy Face.' As for Dr. Two-Brains, the splash panel at the beginning of several episodes have spelled it with and without a hyphen. Since even the canon itself failed to provide me with a solid answer on these, I decided to just go with my own personal preference. I tried asking the characters myself, but I couldn't understand Huggy, and DTB told me that he couldn't make up his minds. :P**

 **- _Episode References_ _—_ I covered a few episodes in rapid-fire sequence when WordGirl was thinking back on Tobey's past shenanigans. They were, in order of mention: ****'Book Ends,' 'Department Store Tobey,' and 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.' Oh, and if you haven't seen 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot'** **yet, please go see it! It'll be coming up again later in this story. ;)**


	3. Vicissitude

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Rhyme and Reason,' 'Play Date,' 'Book Ends,' and 'Invasion of the Bunny Lovers.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **All right, we're really getting the ball rolling now! XD With this chapter, I'm finally bringing the title character in, and I hope I've done a good job of capturing his personality. ^^' As much as I love Tobey, it's actually WAAAY easier for me to write Becky because I can personally relate to her more. And also because, let's face it, the very thing that makes Tobey so endearing is also what makes him a challenge to write for—he's really, _really_ weird. #_# I've studied and brooded over Tobey's signature weirdness with great zeal, though, so hopefully I did okay. Let me know what you think. ;)**

 **Oh, and just to let y'all know, I've managed to get a couple chapters ahead in this past week or so, which means that, barring any major occurrence in my life that renders me unable to work on this for a _long_ time, I should be able to post chapters on a regular schedule! :D For now I'll be posting a new chapter every Friday. If one Friday I don't post, you can assume that there has been a major occurrence in my life… or just that my internet is acting up. Knowing my internet, it would probably be the latter of the two. :P See you guys next week! :)**

* * *

Vicissitude [vi- **sis** -i-tood] – a change or variation occurring in the course of something.

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Becky fidgeted nervously on the sofa in her living room as she watched the news story unfolding on the TV screen in front of her. Loretta Sanchez-Johnson stood a relatively safe distance from the state building, clumsily trying to cover her ears and hold up her microphone while she relayed what was happening behind her.

"For the third time this month, a robot the size of a skyscraper threatens to destroy a—well, a skyscraper," the anchorwoman announced as the robot in question stomped around, making a big ruckus in the background. "While this sort of thing is practically routine for the people of our Fair City, the mystery on all our minds is—where is WordGirl?"

Becky wrapped one arm around her legs and chewed the nails of her free hand. "Oh, this is so frustrating! I feel like I should be there."

Bob cringed at her right, nervously chomping away at a bowl of cereal, while Violet sat on her left, stroking her friend's tense shoulder.

"Relax, Becky," Violet cooed in a soothing tone. "We called Mrs. McCallister, and she'll be there any minute."

Sure enough, the camera feed on the news momentarily showed Mrs. McCallister's recognizable vehicle pull up to the building. The woman marched through the lobby doors, and minutes later marched back out with her son quite literally in tow. It was hard to tell just from the news camera feed, but Becky thought she looked less angry and more somber than usual. Remembering the woman's heavyhearted confidence to her mother last month, Becky knew that she shouldn't be surprised.

The anchorwoman smiled and cheerfully announced, "Well, despite WordGirl's strange absence, things seem to have wrapped up here without any more incident than usual. Now, back to Stu with sports."

Taking a rare mid-meal break from eating, Bob heaved a deep sigh of relief at the same time as Becky.

"See?" Violet said calmly, clicking the remote to turn off the TV. "It's over. Just take a few deep breaths, and hum a gentle tune."

"Thanks, Violet, but I don't think music is going to help me much," Becky said, relaxing her muscles although her nerves were still in high gear.

"Why not?"

"Because I have to do more than just ignore Tobey and call his mom," she explained. "Dr. Two-Brains says I need to validate him."

"Vali…date?" Violet muttered slowly, looking surprised and confused. "Is that anything like a regular date, or is it—?"

"What? N-No! No, not at all! Ew!" Becky stuck out her tongue and shuddered, then took those deep breaths Violet had suggested and calmed herself not by humming, but by doing what she did best. "To validate means to give something or someone confirmation or approval. So in order to validate Tobey I need to listen to him and spend time with him so that he feels good about himself."

"Oh, I see. Validate." Violet raised a hand to her mouth and giggled. "I think I'm finally getting used to this whole WordGirl thing."

"Well, that's _one_ thing I can be happy about," Becky said with a fond smile.

When Violet had discovered Becky's secret identity, it had nearly ended their friendship, so hurt was good-natured Violet at learning of her best friend's deception. Becky had never been so afraid, and so heartbroken, as she was during that nightmarish experience. It had happened a few months ago, but it felt like it had been an eternity and just yesterday at the same time.

"Honestly, though," Becky said, gladly turning her thoughts from those sad memories and back to the topic at hand. "I have no idea how I'm going to validate Tobey. I mean, what am I supposed to do? Fly over to school as WordGirl and say, 'Hey, Tobey! Sorry I ignored your attack on the city the other day, but what do you say we hang out?'"

"That does sound a little strange when you say it out loud," Violet admitted. She donned a contemplative expression for a moment, then smiled. "Maybe you're looking at the problem from the wrong angle. Maybe instead of approaching Tobey as WordGirl, you should approach him as Becky."

Becky groaned in frustration. "That's the problem. He doesn't like Becky, he likes WordGirl."

Violet blinked, then stated quite plainly, "Becky… you _are_ WordGirl."

"Well… yeah, I guess," Becky murmured, a bit befuddled all of a sudden. It wasn't exactly that simple, and yet it was… What _was_ the bottom line in all of this, anyway? Since WordGirl and Becky were the same person, did it really matter which one of them reached out to Tobey? Or did the fact that _Tobey_ considered them to be two different people _make_ it matter? It was all so confusing, it made her head hurt just thinking about it, and the fact that she and Tobey had two distinctly different relationships wasn't helping.

"Besides, it makes more sense for Becky Botsford to talk to Tobey at school than WordGirl, don't you think?" Violet went on, explaining her view with clarity and simplicity that Becky wished she could share. "I mean, you already talk with each other."

"You mean _argue_ with each other," Becky corrected, then sighed in resignation. "I guess you're right, though… It might be easier, actually. If I approach him as myself, I won't have to deal with his infatuation."

"In-fat-u…" Violet struggled out the first half of the word, then gave up and said with a giggle, "I'm guessing that's another word that doesn't mean what it sounds like it means."

Becky laughed, happy for the momentary distraction from her worries.. "Sorry, Violet, but you're going to have to look _that_ one up for yourself."

Bob squeaked in protest, and Becky playfully snapped, "Oh, don't give me that. You know how to use a dictionary."

Bob folded his arms and resumed eating.

"Um… Hey, Becky?" Violet murmured out of nowhere.

"Yeah?"

Violet averted her eyes and asked in a ginger tone, "Have you given any more thought to… what I said a couple months ago… about your family?"

Bob froze, and dropped his last spoonful of cereal on the floor.

Becky tensed, and unconsciously held her breath. She'd almost forgotten. About six weeks back, shortly before this business with Tobey had started, she and Violet had a deep heart-to-heart talk to resolve their lingering feelings after Violet had learned Becky's secret. Over the course of their conversation, Violet had mortified Becky by asking if her family knew her secret. Even worse, she'd asked the follow-up question, 'why not?'

The answer had been far too complex to articulate with any discernible conviction, and in an ironic turning of the tide, Violet had perfectly explained her own understanding of the matter.

 _"_ _I know you don't want them to worry about you, and that you're afraid of how_ _they'll see you if you_ _tell them…"_ she'd said in that soft, sweet voice of hers. _"But you can't keep this secret forever, and the longer you wait to tell them, the more it'll hurt them when they find out. Trust me… I know."_

She was right. Becky knew in her heart that Violet was absolutely right… and yet…

Bob stood and turned to look at her with an uncertain expression, and gave a sympathetic moan. She'd talked with him about this shortly after her talk with Violet, and while he appeared at first to be even more apprehensive about revealing the secret than she was, he also seemed to understand that it was ultimately necessary. Becky would be a teenager soon, and life was only going to get more and more complicated from here on out. If she was going to continue her fight against evil as WordGirl, her family would need to know at some point.

"Listen, Violet," she said in a shaky voice. "I _can't_ tell my family I'm WordGirl. I know I can't keep them in the dark forever, but… I'm just not ready to tell them yet. I'm afraid to… Especially after—"

She cut herself off, biting her lip, then looked once more into Violet's kind eyes and said, "You understand, right?"

"Of course I understand," Violet said with a smile. "Just keep it in mind, okay?"

"Okay," Becky agreed.

Suddenly the idea of rehabilitating Tobey seemed like a walk in the park.

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Becky poked her head out onto the school playground and glanced around skittishly. The whole place was a sour reminder of the unwelcome extracurricular activity on which she was obliged to spend her recess, and the long dysfunctional robot head that now served as a slide seemed to be laughing at her.

She saw Scoops and Violet sitting together on the swing, and they both looked up at her and waved in unison. She waved back, wishing like crazy she could go straight over and join them. Alas, duty called, and despite her frail hope that Tobey wouldn't be there, she couldn't have even pretended to miss his foul aura as he sat alone in the shade of yonder tree, fuming and hunched over crossed arms.

 _I wonder what he's so mad about_.

As if talking to him wasn't difficult enough when he was in a _good_ mood.

Swallowing hard, she looked once more to Violet, who mouthed the words 'good luck' and gave her a cheerful thumbs-up. Heartened slightly by her friend's infectious good spirits, she took a breath, and cautiously made her way to the outskirts of the playground where a testy young villain lurked in silence.

"Hey, Tobey," she greeted, trying to sound friendly.

"WordGirl?!" he exclaimed out of nowhere, jumping to his feet and looking at her with a giddy smile. Becky's eyes flew open and she felt all the blood drain from her face, but before she could gather her wits enough to react, Tobey's grin wilted and he sneered in disappointment, "Oh, it's just _you_."

"Right," Becky agreed a bit too zealously. "Just me, plain ol' Becky Botsford, and I'm definitely not WordGirl. What's the matter with you, Tobey?"

Tobey shot her a frown and she hastened to correct herself. "Uh, I mean, what's the matter? You seem upset. What's, uh—what's wrong?"

Tobey rolled his eyes and turned his back to her. "Never mind, you wouldn't understand."

"I might," Becky argued in a chipper tone. "I have a brain in my head, remember?"

She tapped the side of her head, hoping he would appreciate her reference to the insulting compliment he'd paid her back when they first met.

Tobey heaved an annoyed sigh, but turned once more to face her. "Well, not that it's any of _your_ business, but… for reasons I can't even begin to fathom, WordGirl has—stopped coming."

"Stopped coming?" Becky asked, suddenly realizing the obvious reason for the dark cloud hanging over him.

"Yes, stopped coming. She's stopped coming to our battles!"

He said that as though their battles were mutually agreed upon and scheduled in advance.

With a dismissive wave Becky casually said, "Well, I'm sure it's nothing personal. Maybe she sprained her ankle or something."

"Oh, don't be absurd," Tobey countered in a condescending tone. "She's far too vigorous and spectacular to fall victim to such a simple injury."

Becky bit her lip and held her tongue. The word spectacular meant 'beautiful,' not 'powerful'… but she had a feeling Tobey knew that. Swallowing hard and steadying her nerves, she tried once more to console him. "Maybe she's on vacation, then."

" _Please_ , Becky, I know for a fact that she has not left the city. The Butcher was defeated by her two weeks ago, Lady Redundant Woman ran out of ink in a battle with her last Thursday, and she stopped Chuck the Evil Sandwich Making Guy from crushing a bowling alley on Wednesday. She stopped that mustard-for-brains oaf from destroying a building but then completely ignored _me_!"

"That _is_ pretty bizarre," Becky relented, not wanting to sound _too_ confident being that there was no way she should know. Innocently she ventured to add, "I wonder why she would do that."

"I have no idea! I even visited Dr. Two-Brains in jail to ask if she was acting strange during _his_ last battle with her, since it was right after _my_ last battle with her, and he was no help at all. He just made some cryptic comment to the effect of, 'oh, so she's actually trying it, is she?'" Tobey paused to scoff and crossed his arms as he added under his breath, "Utter nonsense."

Becky laughed weakly, wiping a slick of sweat from her forehead. "Yeah… nonsense."

"I just don't understand how she could do this to me! I haven't done anything to _her_ … at least, nothing outside the usual. Why would she treat me this way? This is just so… uncalled for!"

As he huffed this last part he balled his fists and childishly stamped his foot.

Becky rolled her eyes and reminded herself to be patient. She'd always known Tobey was weird, but this was by far his most idiosyncratic tantrum yet. He was a villain whose arch nemesis had suddenly decided to leave him to his own devices and he was acting like he'd just been dumped.

"Cheer up, Tobey. I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why she's not coming to battle you," Becky said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, then smiled, recognizing her first opportunity to get some constructive ideas in his head. "Besides, there's got to be a better way to get WordGirl's attention than by wrecking the city."

"Oh, how would _you_ know? You think it's that easy to get in touch with a superhero? That I could just snap my fingers and she'd be standing right there in front of me?"

For effect he actually did snap his fingers, right in Becky's face, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. For once she was grateful that he continued his rant instead of giving her a chance to get a word in.

"Well, for your information, no, it's _not_ that easy. Attacking the city is the only means I have of contacting WordGirl, and now—she's cut me off completely!"

Becky wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, but at the end there she thought his voice deviated from angry just a little and sounded almost… sad. She took a close look at his face and sure enough, despite his piqued frown, she could see that his eyes had gone misty. Blinking in surprise, she found herself softening with compassion. She hadn't realized how personally he would take this—that it would actually hurt his feelings. With the way he acted most of the time, it was easy for her to forget just how ironically enamored he was with her alter ego.

"Anyway, what concern is it of yours?" he snapped, redoubling his irritable, cocky attitude so abruptly that Becky again wondered if she'd imagined that ever-so-slight show of weakness just now. "Why don't you go chase butterflies with your irritating friend or something?"

Becky swallowed her pride and remembered her mission. In a way, this was just another type of battle. She couldn't let him get to her, or he would win. Summoning her best understanding tone, she meekly suggested, "Tobey, maybe you're just going about this the wrong way. Have you tried just… calling WordGirl?"

"Now why didn't _I_ think of that?" Tobey mocked, facetiously putting a finger to his chin. "Oh! It's because I'm a _villain_ and she's never given me her number!"

"No, I don't mean calling her on the phone, I mean just calling out to her. You know, with your voice." She paused, and smiled entreatingly. "That's how most people in this city get her to come."

"Hmm. Interesting notion," Tobey said insincerely. "If I were one of the common simpletons who constitute 'most people,' I might consider it."

Becky blinked, shocked at how abysmally she had failed. Her imagination conjured up a vision of Dr. Two-Brains in an umpire's outfit loudly announcing, 'And she's OUT!'

"Okay, well… See ya later, Tobey." With a twitch of her eye and a forced, gritty voice, she managed to add, "It was… nice talking to you."

She turned away and skittered off, sighing both from frustration and relief. Maybe she was giving up too easily, but she had a feeling she'd worn out her welcome with Tobey. She'd have to try this validation thing again later when he was in a better mood, and when she no longer felt the urge to slap him.

"So much for _that_ attempt," she muttered as she sat down in the now empty swing next to Violet.

"Tell me about it," Scoops said, leaning on the metal frame of the swing set and glancing over at Tobey. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you just made him madder."

Becky shot him a flustered frown, which he failed to notice, and he obliviously added, "Then again, maybe I _don't_ know better."

"In case it isn't obvious," Becky said in a prickly tone, "I am _not_ enjoying this."

Scoops gave a soft chuckle. "No worries, it's pretty obvious."

"Don't be upset, Becky," Violet cooed, reaching over to affectionately grasp her friend's tight-gripped hand. "Even if you don't feel like you accomplished anything, I'm sure you at least learned something useful."

Becky gave her friend a perturbed look, then glanced back over at Tobey. He had gotten out a sketchbook and was furiously scribbling away with the same vexed scowl from earlier plastered across his face.

"Well, I learned that Tobey is having serious WordGirl withdrawals," Becky said, reluctantly accepting that there might not be any way to get around dealing with this as WordGirl. With an uncertain sigh she continued, "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, though."

"I'm sure it's a good thing," Violet assured with a confident nod. "Like the old saying goes, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.'"

Reminded of the time when _Tobey_ had quoted that saying, Becky shuddered and groaned in disgust, "That's what I'm afraid of."

« ... »

 _For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal._

— _2 Corinthians 4:17-18_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _They_ _Know?!_ _—_ I'm guessing most WordGirl fans who are fan enough to read fanfiction have probably seen the series' main landmark episodes 'Rhyme and Reason' and 'Invasion of the Bunny Lovers.' If you haven't, I'm afraid I just spoiled two of the series' biggest surprises. :( In Bunny Lovers, Scoops found out Becky was WordGirl and reluctantly agreed to keep it a secret rather than publish it in the paper. In R &R, Violet accidentally took a photo of Becky turning into WordGirl, and she was so hurt that Becky had been lying to her all this time, she completely cut her off. It took the whole second part of the episode, but Violet eventually forgave her and they essentially started their friendship over. :3**

 **- _Roses are red, Violets are…?_ _—_ I have to admit, as nervous as I was about my ability to faithfully portray Tobey, at the end of the day, the character whose in-character-ness I feel the most insecure about is actually _Violet_. O.O I don't know what it is about Violet, I mean… I know she's an oddball too, but still… She just has this adorable spacey weirdness that a space cadet like me really shouldn't have any trouble capturing, and yet… :( I think part of the problem is that I wanted to show some personal growth in Violet so that she could function as something of a mentor for Becky in this story. I guess my justification for this is that the whole 'R &R' experience, though emotionally scarring, had the healthy side-effect of bringing her down to earth a bit, which in turn matured her and caused her to become more observant and tuned-in to what's going on around her. *shrugs* I don't know, what do you guys think?**

 **- _"_ _I have a brain in my head, remember?_ _"—_ ****This reference is from 'Play Date,' the two-minute episode that introduced Tobey. One of the first things he said to Becky after they met was a lethargic, "Interesting. Someone my age who actually has a brain in her head."**

 **- _"_ _Absence makes the heart grow fonder."_ _—_ Tobey said this in 'Book Ends' as a retort to WordGirl's facetious comment that he was 'late' showing up to destroy the library. :P**

 **- _Theme Song: "Forward Motion_ _"_ _by Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ I love finding songs that fit the stories I'm writing, and last time I did a long chapterfic I had a blast sharing my inspiration songs with my readers. So, I'm going to do it again! :D _Forward Motion_ basically describes what Becky wants to communicate to Tobey, as well as the more congenial side of her attitude toward this whole undertaking. I might've been wiser to hold onto it until a bit later in the story, but sadly most of my theme songs fit better later, and I didn't want to have nothing until the end and then dump them all on you at once. ^^'**


	4. Allay

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum,' 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot,' and 'Trustworthy Tobey.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Oh, the joyness! :D I didn't realize how much I missed writing fanfiction until I started up again, and now I can't stop myself! I'm drunk on happiness! X) With the Ratchet & Clank movie coming out next month, I anticipate returning to my first love sometime in the near future. Don't worry, though. I won't let anything get in the way of my finishing _this_ story. :)**

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Allay [ _uh_ - **ley** ] – to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest.

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He'd show her. How dare she treat him this way? Denying him the consideration that even The Amazing Rope Guy received?

"She'll pay for this," Tobey muttered aloud to himself, putting the finishing touches on the new design he'd drawn up at school. "I'll build a robot that WordGirl _can't_ ignore, and then we shall see if she still has the gall to treat Theodore McCallister the Third like some third-rate—!"

He slammed the paper hard against the corkboard on his wall, causing another item to come loose and fall to the ground, and his frown crumbled as he reached down and picked up the stray newspaper clipping. It was a worn old picture of WordGirl that had made the front page a very long time ago, yellowing from time and practically falling apart from excessive handling. This was Tobey's favorite photo of her, so dear to him that he'd never had the heart to file it away in a scrapbook. The expression on her face was so inviting in this picture—so gentle. So completely different from the way she _usually_ looked after taking down a criminal. The reporter had captured her in a tender moment, having just paid her a weighty compliment in the form of a question. The resulting look on her face had Tobey blushing for the next week, fantasizing that someday she might look at _him_ like that.

Catching himself, Tobey shook his head violently and tacked the picture back onto the corkboard. He didn't have time for such musings, he told himself as he tenderly fingered the likeness of his heroine. The hand hanging limp at his side clenched into a trembling fist, and his determined frown returned.

"Oh, I'll show her, all right," he seethed. "Her ravishing charms won't be enough to save her once I finish my most brilliant creation yet!"

He pumped his arms dramatically in the air.

Suddenly that bizarre disembodied voice that liked to interrupt at the worst moments inserted out of nowhere, "Don't you think it would be easier to try what Becky Botsford suggested?"

Tobey frowned, remembering the girl's words from earlier that day. _"_ _Have you tried just… calling WordGirl?"_

His face screwed once more into an irritated frown. "Don't be ridiculous. Even _I'm_ not conceited enough to think that WordGirl would drop everything to heed the call of a villain who isn't even committing a crime."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that."

"Who asked you?" Tobey snapped.

"I'm just saying you might want to give it a shot. WordGirl might surprise you."

"Oh, _spare_ me. If a blatant attack on the city failed to get her attention, why would an action as simple as— _shouting_?"

He folded his arms, huffing in frustration, and his eyes fell once more on the newspaper picture tacked to his wall.

Then again… what could it hurt to try?

In the event that it didn't work, no one would ever have to know. His robot wouldn't be finished for several weeks at least, and though he would never admit it aloud, he was getting pretty anxious to see her again—if only so he could demand an explanation for her sudden fancy to pretend he didn't exist.

His ego complained as he dragged his feet over to his bedroom window and opened it. Nonetheless he took in a deep breath, cupped his hands around his mouth, and loudly cried out, "WORDGIRL!"

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Becky sat on her bed, still and silent, reading her favorite book with a swooning grin plastered across her face. When she'd gotten home from school, frustrated and stressed, she decided to unwind with a story that never failed to put her in a good mood.

She was near the ending, at the final plot twist when Princess Triana was about to confront the titular Ogre of Castlebum…

 _Gripping tightly the reigns of her Pegasus_ _Ghidwe_ _, Princess Triana threw_ _herself_ _between the fearless knight and the rampaging ogre._ _With an impassioned voice she desperately cried out,_ _"No! You mustn't harm him!"_

 _Flinching in surprise, t_ _he knight withdrew his blade_ _and_ _bayed his own wingless_ _horse_ _. His face flashed_ _with_ _a righteous anger that no soul would_ _ever fathom_ _he could show to his princess._

 _"Stand aside,_ _Milady_ _!"_ _Sir Finvold_ _shouted_ _, daring to_ _command_ _the royal maiden whom he was sworn to serve. "The creature is a menace! It has destroyed the homes and livelihoods of countless innocents, and it must be destroyed!"_

 _"_ _He must not be destroyed! Open your eyes,_ _Fin!_ _Can you not see who he truly is, and that he is in terrible pain?"_

 _"_ _Pain?" the knight spat. "The ogre is a monster! The only pain it knows is that which it caused!"_

 _"You shall not lay a finger on him, Sir_ _Finvold_ _!" Triana vehemently insisted. "I shall deal with him."_

 _With her royal brow drawn up in fierce determination, the Princess spurred her steed to flight._

 _"Triana, no!" Sir_ _Finvold_ _exclaimed, forgetting propriety in the midst of his concern,_ _but it was too late_ _._ _Already she was_ _soaring resolutely_ _toward the raging beast._ _Cursing under his breath, he desperately cried out, "_ _Princess_ _!"_

 _Triana continued her advance, undeterred by the shouts of her dear friend. She knew what she had to do, and there was no place for fear in this duty of hers. The ogre's massive body thundered ever louder as she approached, until she and her animal were but an insect in his shadow._

 _With a wave of her wand and a chant of her most trusted spell, a nest of roots and flowering creepers sprouted forth from the earth at the ogre's feet, tangling 'round his legs and seizing him in place. Ignoring the creature's livid roars, Triana guided Ghidwe directly over his head, and jumped down onto his massive shoulder. Reaching out both arms, Prin_ _cess Triana grasped the monster's face, and kissed his cheek._

 _The ogre's eyes flew open and he threw back his head, screeching at the sky as though in agony. Triana lost her balance and fell, fortunate enough to land in the bed of soft blossoms left by her spell._

 _She looked up, and before her eyes the monster shrank to the ground, crumbling into a feeble ball as the putrid green of his skin faded to the color of human flesh and his feral bellowing waned into the desperate wail of a young man._

 _The transformation ended in a heartbeat, and where the ogre of Castlebum had stood mere moments ago, there was instead the whimpering, shivering form of the lost Prince VanLandingham. His clothes were tattered and dirty, but unmistakable as the same royal robes he was wearing when he disappeared two years ago._

 _Ghidwe alighted gracefully at her master's side, braying joyfully while a bewildered Sir Finvold approached on foot behind her._

 _"Your highness," the prince murmured, his voice small and weak. "I am sorry."_

 _Triana smiled, and tenderly drew her arms around him. "You needn't apologize to me, my Prince. I am deeply grateful that you have returned."_

Becky closed the book, heaving a contented sigh. Bob, sitting quietly at her side, wiped a tear from his eye.

"I _love_ that story," she said, and Bob chirped in agreement. Clasping both hands next to her cheek, she dreamily added, "Wouldn't it be great if real life was more like a fairy tale?"

That _would_ be something. How much easier would it be to deal with Tobey if there was some 'magical' way to change him from a public terror to a normal person? Not that she would be any happier about the idea of having to kiss him than she was about having to validate him, but still… what she wouldn't give for _half_ of Princess Triana's confidence in her ability to change him.

"WORDGIRL!"

Speak of the ogre.

"I just heard Tobey," she announced to her sidekick, who moaned inquisitively. "No, I don't think so. I don't hear his robots, and his voice didn't sound like it was coming from town… It sounded like it was coming from his house."

Huh… That was strange. Could it be that he'd actually decided to take her advice?

"Wait here, Bob," she said, hopping off her bed. "I'd better go talk to him. Word up!"

« … »

A full minute had passed, and nothing. Tobey was hardly surprised, but he grumbled in annoyance all the same. WordGirl was in for it big time when his new robot was—

"You called?"

Tobey froze at the musical sound of her voice, and turned in shock to see the heroine herself hovering outside the window, right in front of him.

"WordGirl," he exclaimed, so stunned he forgot everything he'd just been brooding over. "You—you came."

"Why wouldn't I?" WordGirl asked, wearing an infectious smile. Already Tobey could feel his own lips curving up into his warming cheeks.

A bit late, her question registered, and he shook the grin from his face.

"Actually, that's just what I wanted to ask _you,_ " he bellowed, clenching his fists and glaring disdainfully at her. "I've attacked the city three times in the last month. Why haven't you come to battle me?"

"Really? Three times?" she repeated, innocently scratching her head. "Wow. I guess I've just been busy with other things."

"Other things?" Tobey fumed. "What could possibly be more important than fighting with _me_?"

WordGirl snickered. "You know, Tobey, a little humility would suit you."

Tobey donned a cocky smile and said with a flick of his hand. "Who needs humility when you have brilliance?"

« … »

WordGirl blinked and was silent for a moment. She knew it was a rhetorical question, but she _really_ wanted to answer it. Containing her annoyance, she rolled her eyes and went back to business before she could say something witty and counterproductive.

"Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't made it to fight you lately, but tell you what—I actually don't have anything going on at the moment, so how about we do something together now?"

Tobey was dumbstruck in his shock. "Wait, _we_?"

Well, _almost_ dumbstruck. WordGirl nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Do something… together?"

His grin was getting wider and stupider by the second, to the point that it was almost cute. "Sure," she said with a laugh.

Whatever affability she had been starting to feel toward him he killed in cold blood by raising a coy eyebrow and suggestively saying, "WordGirl, are you… asking me out?"

Her smile crumbled into a blank stare, and she blinked in annoyance.

 _Patience, Becky… You can do this._

"No," she stated pointedly. "I am offering to spend some time with an acquaintance of mine with whom I have a completely platonic relationship—'acquaintance' meaning someone you know but don't know very well, and 'platonic' meaning not romantic in any way _at all_. Am I clear?"

"Oh, crystal clear," Tobey blathered unconvincingly. "So, where should we go on our date—I mean, 'outing'? There's a new ice cream parlor downtown that I've been _dying_ to try, or if you're not hungry we could just… go for a walk in the park."

He clasped his hands in front of him and blinked expectantly, still wearing that same goofy grin. WordGirl hesitated, suddenly self-conscious at the idea of being seen with him in public after a month-long hiatus from fighting him. People might get the wrong idea, and knowing _this_ town's people, they almost certainly would.

"Actually," she drawled, trying to sound casual, "how about for now we just stay here in your room and play a game or something?"

"That works!"

Tobey dashed off to the closet and exuberantly looked up and down the shelves while WordGirl took a steadying breath and admitted herself into his room through the window. So far so good. Now she just had to get through an hour or two of his company and try to look like she was having a good time.

"Aha! Perfect," Tobey announced, pulling down an ominously familiar looking box. "This is a game of my own design called, 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.'"

WordGirl forced a smile. "Sounds… fun."

"I'll show you how it works." He opened the game and dove into an explanation of the rules, which of course she already knew. This was the game Tobey had conceived in order to expose her secret identity a year or two ago. He'd set up giant robots all over the city to represent the little ones on the game board, and kept Becky Botsford busy with the game while watching to see if WordGirl would make a move to attack the robots. That had been her closest call ever. If it hadn't been for some fast thinking and fancy footwork on the part of Captain Huggyface, Tobey would have caught her.

"All right," Tobey said, having finished his explanation, apparently. "Ladies first."

"Thanks. Um… there wouldn't happen to be any giant robots that correspond to these little ones and that could cause mayhem in the city if I lose, would there?

Tobey raised an eyebrow, looking confused. "That's an oddly specific concern."

WordGirl leveled her eyes at him and said, "Pardon my wariness, Tobey, but… you're _Tobey_."

"Fair enough." Tobey put one hand over his chest while holding the other up and said, "I promise there won't be any robots of a gargantuan nature associated with this game. McCallister's honor."

WordGirl remembered the last time he'd said that dubious tag line. He'd been sincere then, so she supposed she could relax. She'd keep an ear out for any robot mayhem in the city while they played, and since she was WordGirl this time, there was nothing to keep her from simply going to deal with his robots if he started using them… Well, nothing _he_ knew about, at least.

With a confident smile she proceeded to crack her knuckles. "Okay, then. Prepare to be defeated, Tobey!"

Tobey's face twisted into a look of mischievous delight. "O-ho, _bring it,_ WordGirl."

« « « « « ж » » » » »

WordGirl found Bob apprehensively watching the clock when she flew back into her bedroom through the open window.

"I'm back," she announced with a smile, changing out of her WordGirl costume faster than her monkey friend could chitter a concerned inquiry.

"It actually wasn't too bad," she said with mild surprise, alighting on the bed beside him. "We played 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.'"

Bob gave a worried gasp, and she hurried to reassure him. "Don't worry, there weren't any giant robots or sneaky plots this time. We just played it like a normal game."

She stared into space for a moment, then said with a thoughtful smile, "You know, Bob… without the imminent danger to the city and looming threat to my secret identity, that game is considerably less horrible."

Bob squeaked another question, raising a surprised eyebrow.

"Well, I wouldn't say I _enjoyed_ it," Becky countered, snorting a laugh. "But I didn't hate it, either."

She collected _Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum_ from the bed and walked over to her bookshelf, lovingly sliding the book back into its place between _Princess Triana and the_ _Goblin_ _Emp_ _ire_ and _Princess Triana and the_ _Return of the_ _Prince_.

"Who knows?" she mused with a hopeful shrug. "Maybe this whole Tobey thing won't be so bad, after all."

« ... »

 _He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;  
_ _I will be with him in trouble;  
_ _I will deliver him and honor him._

— _Psalm 91:15_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum_ _—_ If you haven't seen this episode, it was a parody of the Harry Potter phenomenon in which Becky and Tobey alternated between standing in line for the midnight release of the new Princess Triana book and battling it out to keep Tobey from stealing and reading it before anyone else. :P The coolest thing about it, though, was that over the course of the episode they actually revealed the plot of the book, and when I realized how it paralleled the story of _Saving Tobey_ , I just about did a double-take. o.0 I may have gone a little overboard with my novelization of the book's ending, but it sure was fun to write. ^-^ Ghidwe is an anagram of Hedwig, btw. ;P**

 **- _By Jove, You've Wrecked My Reference!_ _—_ The explanation for this one is in the chapter itself, but I just wanted to mention I'm well aware that I am far from the first to come up with the idea of having Becky and Tobey play this game like a normal game. In fact, it's possible I subconsciously stole the idea from chapter 6 of "The Amazing Adventures of Wordgirl" by fandoms-and-physics (a oneshot that I highly recommend, btw ;D). I say 'subconsciously' because I thought to do it in my fic before I read that fic, but my little sister had told me about it before that, so I'm really not sure whether it was my inspiration or not. #_# Regardless, I wanted to give my regards to anyone else who came up with this idea before me.**

 **\- " _McCallister's Honor"_ — Tobey said this in "Trustworthy Tobey" after promising to return a book to Becky, which (spoiler alert!) he did, by the way. ;)**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _When Can I See You Again?_ _"_ _by_ _Owl City_ _—_ This song fits slightly in a few weird ways, not at all in others, and you certainly can't take it literally… at least not straight through. Still, I think the overall feel of it, as well as a few of the lyrics, somewhat captures the happy, innocent, childlike side of Tobey's drive to spend time with WordGirl… and maybe even a little bit of Becky starting to warm up to spending time with _him_. :3**


	5. Cupidity

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'Kid Math.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Tee-hee, this chapter was fun to write. Hopefully it shows. :P I even got to cameo one of my favorite pop-in characters, who IMHO really deserved more attention in the actual show.**

 **FYI, the first sentence of this chapter is supposed to roll humorously off of the last sentence of the previous chapter, so if you don't remember how chapter 4 ended, I'd recommend refreshing your memory before starting this one.**

 **Also, it occurred to me that, since I'm going to the trouble of noting my episode references anyway, I should probably do so _before_ the chapters rather than just waiting until I've already given spoilers. :P So from now on there will be a quick little reference summary at the beginning of each chapter in addition to the explanations at the end, and I've edited previous chapters to include these as well.**

* * *

Cupidity [kyoo- **pid** -i-tee] – eager or excessive desire, especially to possess something.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Boy was she wrong.

In the week following Tobey's discovery that he could summon WordGirl simply by calling for her, he'd let the power go to his head. Now it seemed she couldn't go half a day without him yelling for her from across town, sometimes while she was in the middle of a battle, and expecting her to show up within minutes. 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot' was becoming less and less enjoyable.

One day, after managing to escape him on the pretense that she had to go deal with another villain, WordGirl drifted away from his house while a long, flustered groan escaped her throat. "I can't take much more of this."

Captain Huggyface, perched stiffly on her back, moaned in agreement. Even he was sick of Tobey, and he'd only had to accompany her on these routine house calls _half_ the time. The one consolation keeping WordGirl going was that Tobey hadn't caused any trouble with his robots since she'd started coming to him directly. That was definitely a good sign. Still, she knew she couldn't keep this up forever.

"Come on, Huggy," she said, realizing with some reluctance what she had to do. "I think there's another villain it's time we paid a visit."

« « « « « ж » » » » »

WordGirl had never felt so timid as she navigated the halls of the city jail. But then, she'd hardly ever had to come here to seek help from an inmate before, and never with such a personal issue. When she came upon the cell she was looking for, she swallowed and glanced down at Huggy, who nodded his reluctant approval and furrowed his brow.

Taking a breath, she floated into view of the prisoner and greeted, "Dr. Two-Brains?"

The mad scientist was sitting on his rusty old prison chair, leaning back and forth as though it were a rocker. His hands lay in his lap, fingers interlaced, and his face was plastered with a brooding smile.

"WordGirl," he said, more cheerfully than she'd expected. "How's the rehabilitation effort going?"

"Um, about that…" She hesitated a moment, absentmindedly reaching for the back of her head. "Since you're stuck in here anyway and you don't have anything else to do, I was hoping you might be willing to give me some more advice?"

"Something wrong with the advice I gave you the first time?"

"No, no, I really do think it's working!" She paused to swallow and continued in a progressively flustered tone, "It's just—taking a while, and getting kind of—difficult to maintain."

"Well, you didn't expect _that_ kind of undertaking to be a walk in the park, did you?"

"Please don't mention walks in the park," she mumbled, shuddering at the memory of a recent 'outing' that she'd spent nervously scanning for reporters. "Look, I never expected this to be _easy_ , but… I thought since you're so much more knowledgeable than me about this sort of thing, maybe you could give me some tips on how to make it… less maddeningly difficult."

"Maybe," the mad scientist drawled in a mischievous tone. "What's the trouble?"

"Well, I thought it would be weird if I suddenly started talking to him at the same time that I stopped showing up to battle him, so I convinced him to try getting my attention by calling for me instead of by using his robots."

"Hey, not bad."

"Oh, thanks," she beamed. "The problem is, now that he knows he can just call for me, he calls all the time."

"Mm-hmm," Two-Brains muttered knowingly.

"I mean _all the time,_ " she huffed. "I never get a minute's peace anymore! He's just _constantly_ —!"

"Whoa, whoa, _chill_ , WordGirl. I got it. Believe it or not, the solution is simple. All you need to do is…"

He stopped mid-sentence and froze, like a video that had been paused.

WordGirl waited a confused moment for him to continue, then, "What? All I need to do is what?"

With a cordial smile the doctor straightened, stuck a finger in the air, and said in a tone that sounded like a telephone recording, "To continue your villain consultation, please deposit one wheel of cheese."

WordGirl blinked. "Seriously?"

Two-Brains said nothing—just kept smiling at her, still on pause.

Captain Huggyface smacked his own forehead, and WordGirl heaved a frustrated sigh. "I'll be right back."

She zipped off and returned moments later, holding out a large wheel of cheddar. She had half a mind to try and make Tobey pay for it.

"Boy, that was quick," Dr. Two-Brains complimented, snatching up his payment. "You sure are committed to this project, aren't you?"

"Yes," WordGirl grumbled through grit teeth. "I suppose I am."

Huggy squeaked, raising his hands in a questioning shrug.

"Committed? It means that you have your heart set on something and you're absolutely determined to see it through to the end. I'm committed to getting Tobey to stop being a villain, so that means that no matter how frustrating, or irritating, or _infuriating_ it gets—" (she paused to take a breath and collect herself) "I am _not_ going to give up."

"Well, good for you," the mouse-brained jail bird said with his mouth full. Swallowing, he proved true to his word. "All right, here's the thing, WordGirl. You're giving Tobey too much attention."

WordGirl let her face contort into a grimace somewhere between angry and about to cry. It took a lot of effort to keep a level tone when she said, "Wasn't that exactly what _you_ told me to do?"

"I told you to validate him, not be at his beck and call," Two-Brains retorted, leaning forward against the bars of his cell door. "If you show up any old time he asks for you, he'll get spoiled the same way he was spoiled when you were always showing up to fight him. You're still rewarding him for doing something he shouldn't be doing, so you're basically trading one problem for another. Granted it's a lesser problem than the one you had before, but clearly still a problem. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

"But if I stop coming when he calls, he'll just get mad and go back to channeling his anger through his robots, won't he?"

"Maybe, if that's _all_ you do."

"Well, what else can I do?"

Two-Brains shrugged. "I dunno. Have you tried visiting him when he _didn't_ call?"

He took another bite of cheese and giggled giddily.

Meanwhile, WordGirl floated there in dumbfounded silence. Finally she found her tongue, and replied in an awestruck tone, "No. He was calling so much, I didn't even think about showing up spontaneously."

"Well, you might wanna think about it. If Tobey's gonna grow out of this, he needs to learn that he can't have whatever he wants whenever he wants. But if you want him to come out of that lesson better instead of bitter, he also needs to know that he can get what he wants without throwing a fit. Make sense?"

WordGirl thought for a moment, and her lips slowly stretched into a hopeful smile. "Yeah… Yeah, it does! Thanks, Dr. Two-Brains!"

"Always happy to help," the villain said with a salute, finishing the last of his cheese wheel in a single bite.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

A few days after her consultation with Dr. Two-Brains, WordGirl was already feeling her spirits lifting and her drive returning. She couldn't help it if the mounting frustration in Tobey's voice the last couple of times he called her was a bit amusing, right?

Somehow the streets below seemed more peaceful than usual as she soared through the skies on her routine patrol, breathing in the crisp afternoon air. Sobering, she reminded herself that she still had to go see Tobey unsolicited at some point, and since today was the first day since her visit with Two-Brains that Tobey hadn't yelled for her before lunch, she figured now was the time.

"Well, Captain Huggyface, are you ready to go see Tobey again?"

Her sidekick groaned and asked if she could drop him off at home.

"I don't think so," she chuckled teasingly. "If I have to suffer, then you have to suffer with—"

She was cut off by a loud noise that she hadn't heard in a while, but immediately recognized nonetheless. She gasped and zipped downtown where, to her horror, a trio of robots was ravaging the shopping district.

"Oh, no!"

Apparently she had overestimated the length of Tobey's fuse. The young villain stood on the shoulder of one of his robots, screaming impatiently and shaking his fist in the air.

WordGirl moaned with worry, but Captain Huggyface chirped a welcome reminder. "You're right, Huggy! I almost forgot about his mom."

She pulled her red and yellow phone from her belt and quickly dialed the DA's office, where her and Tobey's mothers both worked, and a receptionist answered.

"Hi, may I speak to Claire McCallister, please?" she said, trying to sound calm as she watched Tobey's robots continuing to wreak havoc in the distance. She swallowed and emphatically added, "It's urgent."

"She's at lunch right now," the receptionist explained.

"What?! Do you know where she is?"

"'Fraid not," the woman said nonchalantly. "She left her phone at her desk, too. Sorry 'bout that. I can take a message for her if you wa—"

A loud smash issued nearby, and the line went dead. Chittering frantically, Huggy pointed to a robot that had just toppled a telephone pole.

WordGirl's heart raced with growing panic. A robot attack right at the exact time when Mrs. McCallister couldn't be reached. Tobey must've _planned_ this, she realized with a nervous gulp. Dr. Two-Brains was right. He _was_ getting smarter.

"Oh, what am I going to do?" she wondered despairingly. "If I go fight Tobey now, I'll be back to square one. But if his mom isn't available to deal with him, then the only person who can stop him is—"

"A superhero! That's what I am! Because I'm—!"

"Kid Math!" WordGirl exclaimed, gaping in surprise at the caped and bespectacled little boy who had flashed to her side out of nowhere. "What are _you_ doing here?"

In his usual exaggerated tone the young Hexagonian announced, "I heard someone calling for a superhero!"

WordGirl blinked in disbelief. "What?"

"Oh, that was me," the Narrator said out of nowhere. "I had the plot call for him."

WordGirl shook her surprise and donned a grateful smile. "Wait, this is perfect! Kid Math, would you go and battle Tobey for me? I have to, uh… go do something else."

Kid Math puffed out his chest and braced his hands on his hips. "No problem!" He added in a soft chuckle around the back of his hand, "Get it? Math. Problem."

WordGirl forced a laugh as she glanced askance at the robot storm still raging nearby.

"Okay, listen," she instructed. "The key to taking out Tobey's robots is to attack their extremities."

"Extremities?"

Another loud crash. WordGirl cringed and swallowed. "Extremities are arms and legs, or hands and feet."

She flailed her own limbs around, partly to demonstrate and partly from genuine anxiety.

"Oh, so if I subtract the robots' _extremities_ , they'll become unbalanced and won't be able to fight back. That sounds logical. All right, then! Off I—!"

"Wait! It's not enough just to know where to attack them. Tobey and his robots have a lot of experience fighting, so you have to be careful."

"There's no need to worry, WordGirl," Kid Math stated with an overconfident grin. "My powers add up to more than a match for a few giant robots."

WordGirl grimaced nervously, and Captain Huggyface gave a doubtful moan.

"Look, I know you're a perfectly capable superhero, Kid Math," WordGirl said. "I'm just warning you. You shouldn't underestimate Tobey."

"You're absolutely right! Which is why I've made sure that my estimation of Tobey is perfectly sound. I helped you defeat Dr. Two-Brains, remember?"

"Yes, but that was Dr. Two-Brains, and we fought him together."

"That's a true statement, but I've calculated that battle against this one, and determined that I have a 100% chance of success. You see, Dr. Two-Brains had two brains, while Tobey only has one."

"Yeah, but—"

"Also, Dr. Two-Brains is an adult, while Tobey is a child, meaning he's less than half Dr. Two-Brains' age."

"Okay, but still—"

"Plus, Dr. Two-Brains has _two_ adult henchmen."

"I'm not sure his henchmen make much of a—"

"Therefore, I should have no problem defeating Tobey on my own!"

He finished with a flourish and a happy grin, and WordGirl met his enthusiasm with a less happy grin of her own.

"Okay…" she murmured uncertainly. "Good luck."

"All right, Tobey," Kid Math shouted into the air, "Your number is up!"

He flew off, leaving WordGirl and her sidekick to stare worriedly after him.

"You're going to shadow him, aren't you?" said the Narrator.

"I am _definitely_ going to shadow him," WordGirl replied.

« ... »

 _The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance._

— _2 Peter 3:9_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _C_ _upidity's Arrow_ _—_ When the word 'cupidity' came up on dictionary dot com's (stupid URL filter -_-) Word-of-the-Day list, I expected the definition would have something to do with love or affection. When I saw what it actually meant, I had a feeling I would end up using it for a chapter dealing with Tobey's obsessive drive to have WordGirl all to himself. ^-^**

 **- _"_ _She left her phone at her desk_ _..."_ _—_ Y'all will probably laugh, but I actually stressed a lot over whether or not Mrs. McCallister should own a cell phone. #_# The reason is because the WordGirl universe has a distinctly 90's feel to it—what with the joysticks, tape recorders, and apparent absence of any social media—and I've noticed that hardly anyone seems to have a cell phone. Shock and awe, right? :P Granted WordGirl has one which we see in 'Tobey or Consequences,' but it's portrayed almost like a special superhero gadget… Anyway, I figured if Tobey's mom had a cell phone I should mention it, whereas if she _didn't_ have one people reading might wonder, 'Well, if she's at lunch, why doesn't WordGirl just call her cell?' Since cell phones, though uncommon at the time, _did_ exist in the 90's, and since Claire seems just the sort of woman who would own one, I decided to go ahead and mention that she has one. Hopefully I made the right choice. *frets for no reason***

 **- _Kid Math_ _—_ I'm not even gonna bother explaining this one. Just go watch Kid Math if you haven't already. :P**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _No Plan B_ _" by_ _Manafest_ _—_ If you pretty much ignore the second verse, this song is a _pretty_ good fit for Becky's determination to stick this thing out, no matter how difficult it is.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Dementia_ _" by_ _Owl City_ _—_ Not a perfect fit by any means, but again, I like the feel of it. It's about the heated frustration that Tobey and Becky are both feeling as a result of this process. The pain before the healing, you know? My favorite line in terms of fitting is the end of the chorus: "This is love, this war, it's insanity. Dementia, you're driving me crazy." :P**


	6. Hornswoggle

**Attention future readers:**

 **This chapter is a joke that I posted for April Fools' Day as it fell exactly on one of my scheduled posting days. Ergo, it is intentionally stupid and has absolutely no bearing on the actual story. Read it if you choose, but you have been warned. :P**

* * *

Hornswoggle [horn-swoggle] – to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Who would have thought that a battle with Kid Math, not Becky's efforts, would be the lynchpin to set Tobey on the straight and narrow?

After fighting Kid Math, Tobey realized just how foolish he'd been all those years of being a villain, so he decided to stop being a villain to—make WordGirl like him, or something. And what do you know? It worked! WordGirl was so impressed by his claiming to be good that on top of falling head over heels in love with him, she even revealed her secret identity to him! I know, what a turnout, right?

Sillious—err—seriously! I'm not kidding! I bet you're all wondering how this works since the build-up to this made it _seem_ like the characters were all conflicted or whatever, but trust me. It makes sense if you don't think about it.

The End!

Oh, what a beautiful amphigory! And for you kids at home, an amphigory is a story in which the ending turns out perfectly and needs no further consideration for how flawless it is. And don't you bother looking up 'amphigory,' either, because I just defined it for you!

« ... »

 _Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult._

— _Proverbs 12:16_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _April Fools!_ _—_ Sorry, I couldn't resist. XP The _real_ chapter will be up tomorrow. ;D I actually can't take credit for writing that atrocity—*cough* Um, I mean, _amphigory_ (seriously, go look it up). For this I actually fell back on the skills of my little sister Lucinda Cottontale, who is the unrivaled master of intentional ridiculousness. If you bother to review, give her a shout-out, would you? She did a wonderfully awful job. XD**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Gibberish_ _" by_ _Relient K_ _—_ I'm going to preemptively assume that this is what all my readers want to say to me right now, so there's no need to flame me in the reviews, k? ^-^**


	7. Counterpoise

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Kid Math' and 'Trustworthy Tobey.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Hopefully I didn't lose any readers for my April Fools' fun. ^^' I realized too late that I couldn't delete that joke chapter without messing up the reviews for _this_ chapter, so I guess I'll have to keep it posted for a while. You know what that means, dont'cha? It means I turned out to be the fool in my own April Fools' prank. DX That's God's sense of humor for you. I can practically hear His voice laughing from heaven, "That's what you get for teasing your readers, you silly!" *sigh* Yes, Sir… :[**

 **Anyway, on a more sober note, one of my favorite tools for psych-analyzing characters is the 5 Love Languages. It's a relationship building tool based on the idea that there are five basic ways that people receive love emotionally: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, Physical Touch, and Gifts. Each of these ranks differently for each person in terms of importance, and finding out what someone's primary love language is can help you understand them a lot better. Despite how strange Tobey is, it wasn't hard for me to guess his love language(s) just by observing what excites him consistently throughout the series. It's obviously Quality Time, with Words of Affirmation as a secondary. You can imagine my surprise when I connected those dots and realized that Tobey has the exact same primary and secondary love languages as _me_. O.O Finally, I've found an area where I can relate to him perfectly. :3**

* * *

Counterpoise [ **koun** -ter-poiz] – to balance by an opposing weight; counteract by an opposing force.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

"WORDGIRL!" Tobey shouted amidst the crashing of another robot arm into the side of a department store. "Come out and face me like a—oh, you know what I mean!"

Where did she get off jerking him around like this? Flippantly sending him from frustrated, to ecstatic, to furious. Like she was toying with him. Like she was doing it on purpose… Like she was enjoying it.

His anger burned fervently as he mashed the attack button on his remote. His new battle robot might not be ready yet, but his regular robots would more than suffice if his mother couldn't be bothered to come and stop him. WordGirl would have no choice but to face him now, and he would make her regret treating him this way.

Another telephone pole toppled, and Tobey grinned with vindictive delight. It wouldn't be long now. Sooner or later, she would _have_ to—

"Aha! We meet at last, Tobey," exclaimed an unfamiliar high-pitched voice, and Tobey turned around to see a small dark-skinned child floating in the air behind his robot, wearing a pair of thick glasses and a blue superhero costume not all that different from WordGirl's.

Tobey blinked, flabbergasted. "Who are _you_?"

"I'm Kid Math!" the whelp announced energetically, thrusting a fist in the air. "Equalizer of crime and justice, and I'm here to stop you!"

"What?" Tobey roared, so surprised he nearly fell off his robot. "Where's WordGirl?"

"She's doing something else!" Kid Math said, mimicking the delivery of his last line, fist thrust and all.

Tobey's eye twitched, and his face screwed up in fury. "This is outrageous! I came here to fight WordGirl, not some half-pint dolt in a cape and glasses!"

Puffing out his chest, Kid Math held up a finger and said, "First of all, the total weight of my body is far greater than half a pint!" Up came another finger as he went on, "Second of all, your insult defies logic as you are _also_ wearing glasses!"

Tobey's grip on his remote tightened until his fingers ached, and his teeth clenched in fury. "I am going to destroy you."

"Ha! Your probability of success is negligible!"

"Leave the fancy vocabulary to WordGirl, you sorry excuse for a substitute!"

He slammed a button hard, and one of his robots swiped at the unwelcome intruder.

Kid Math dodged aside, avoiding the robot's strike. "Ha! You missed me!"

Another robot came from behind and whacked him like the proverbial mole. He smashed into the asphalt below, leaving a sizable cavity in the road in the shape of a plus sign.

Tobey cackled victoriously. "Who's laughing _now_? Is that the best you've—?"

There was a bright flash, and suddenly the arm that had sent Kid Math into the street was severed and fell to the ground, leaving behind a sparking shoulder joint.

"Hey!" Tobey exclaimed. "How did he—?"

He looked down to see the little pest crawling weakly out of his crater in a daze. Wasting no time, Tobey pushed a few more buttons on his remote, and the robot hoisted its leg to squish him like the bug he was. The tiny hero looked up at the giant foot as its shadow loomed over him, and just before it stomped the spot where he knelt he disappeared in a streak of light.

The robot foot was yanked loose at the ankle, and the robot fell on its face as Kid Math zipped back into view. He coasted to a graceless stop, flailing his limbs like he had unintentionally put too much power into his acceleration, then straightened and vehemently blasted, "Why, my reflexes are so fast, even _I_ have difficulty keeping up with them! You'd best surrender before I multiply the damage to your robots!"

Tobey growled through his teeth, shaking with indignation. "Oh, you're going to pay for that, you little—!"

The two remaining robots attacked together. Kid Math dipped and dodged multiple punches and swipes, then grabbed one of the robot's hands and pulled hard until the whole arm snapped at the elbow.

"Three extremities down," he announced confidently, "and nine to go!"

He sailed for the leg of Tobey's robot, but it snatched him right out of the air and held him in front of its master, who laughed in the hero's face.

"Speaking of three, have you heard the joke about the three holes in the ground?" He pressed a button, and his robot smashed his irritating foe against the sidewalk three times in rhythm with his snarky, "Well, well, _well!_ "

The robot left its victim laying motionless at the bottom of the last 'well,' and Tobey cheered victoriously. "Take _that!_ Such is the fate of anyone who dares challenge Theodore McCallister the Third!"

Kid Math sat up, gave his head a quick shake, then gazed up at Tobey with a determined smile. "Speaking of thirds, you only have one third of your robots left."

"What?"

Tobey glanced to his right and, sure enough, his right-hand robot stood with a gaping hole in its chest for all of two seconds before it fell to the ground with a loud _crash!_

Tobey gaped in disbelief. "When did—? _How_ did—?!"

Kid Math zipped once more into the air, then charged the remaining robot, going straight for its knees. He cut through both of them in one fell swoop, leaving the machine to uselessly pinwheel its arms as it careened toward the sidewalk. Tobey was flung from its shoulder and snatched out of the air by the annoying hero himself.

"Well, Tobey," Kid Math gloated, holding Tobey by his right foot and letting the rest of him dangle upside-down, "You may be the Third Theodore McCallister, but in this battle you were Second!"

"Is that supposed to be funny?!" Tobey shouted, cheeks flaming as the blood rushed to his head.

"I must confess," Kid Math said, sounding wistful all of a sudden. "I have a soft spot for all you villains with numbers in your names, but I'm afraid it's time for me to take you to jail!"

And with that the eager young superhero carried Tobey off, deaf to his aggravated screams.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Heart pounding and eyes gaping, a bedraggled WordGirl flopped into a clumsy landing behind the bushes where Captain Huggyface had been hiding and watching. He attended her immediately, grasping her arm to steady her and chirping with concern.

"Whew," she gasped in exhausted relief. "That was too close."

"I don't think I've ever seen you so worn-out after a battle before," the Narrator observed, sounding mildly worried.

"Well, I've never had to battle a villain from the shadow of another superhero before. I thought the jig was up when I had to save Kid Math from getting crushed and then throw him back into the battle." WordGirl went quiet for a brief moment, then anxiously asked, "You don't think Tobey saw me, do you?"

"Nope. You did an amazing job."

WordGirl beamed. "Thanks."

"Although, you _might_ want to let Kid Math know that Tobey goes to his house, not to jail."

"Oh, Warden Chalmers can sort it out," WordGirl said with a halfhearted flick of her listless hand. "I need some time to rest before this evening."

"What's happening this evening?"

"Don't you remember?" she groaned. "I still have to visit Tobey unannounced."

Huggy shrieked in disbelief, frowning and waving his arms.

"Of _course_ we still have to go," WordGirl replied. "It's because I waited too long that this whole thing happened!" She paused to heave a long, weary sigh. "For now, though, I'm just gonna go home… and try not to wonder what kind of mood he's going to be in when he sees me."

« « « « « ж » » » » »

The crime-fighting duo arrived at the McCallister house just as the sun was hanging low in the sky.

"Ready, Huggy?" WordGirl sighed, more as a deliberate stall than a legitimate question.

Her sidekick gave a pensive nod.

Gathering her courage, WordGirl pushed open the window to Tobey's upstairs bedroom and drifted inside. To her surprise, however, he wasn't there. In fact, a sweep of the house with her super-hearing revealed that there wasn't a soul present in the whole place.

"Huh… looks like nobody's home," WordGirl said, wondering whether she should be relieved or worried. Huggy lacked her indecision, and heartily wiped his forehead with the back of his palm, then smiled.

Just then, however, she heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, followed by Mrs. McCallister's livid voice. "The City Jail? The _ja_ _il_ , Tobey!"

 _Uh oh…_

WordGirl nervously floated over to the window, where she watched the woman climb out of her vehicle and storm angrily around to the passenger's side door while Tobey argued, "I wasn't _supposed_ to be there! The half-wit superhero who was standing in for WordGirl just didn't have the sense to know I'm too young for jail."

It occurred to WordGirl that it had been quite a while since she'd heard that whiny but genuine voice.

"Young man, that is _enough,_ " bellowed Tobey's mother as she emphatically opened his door, prompting him to shrink into his seat.

WordGirl watched them make their way up the driveway toward the house, feeling a bit guilty. Perhaps she should've stepped in to keep Tobey from being taken to the jail, after all.

The mother and son's voices echoed through the house as she continued to shout in pained frustration and he made the occasional timid attempt to explain or defend himself.

"I don't want to hear it!" Mrs. McCallister blasted at last, and WordGirl cringed in surprise at the severity of her tone. "Just go to your room!"

Hurried footsteps thundered up the stairs, Huggy chirped urgently, and before the dazed superheroine regained the sense to remember that she was _in_ that room, the door flew open, and Tobey was standing right in front of her. The livid look on his face instantly melted into surprise.

WordGirl swallowed, and forced an awkward smile. "H-Hey, Tobey."

"You…" He blinked, and the surprised look on his face instantly melted back to livid. "Where WERE you?!"

WordGirl flinched. She'd never seen him so angry before—not with _her_ , at least. "I was—busy with—"

"Oh, come on, WordGirl, what kind of fool do you take me for? I'm the only villain whose activity you've consistently ignored for the past six weeks, and I demand to know the reason!"

His face flushed with rage, and WordGirl found herself at a loss for what to say. Clearly the truth wasn't an option… was it?

Digging deep down and steeling her frazzled nerves, she softly but decisively answered, "Honestly, Tobey... I'm _tired_ of fighting with you."

The effect on Tobey was immediate. All the anger drained from his expression, and he looked so crushed that WordGirl felt a pang of remorse. With what she hoped was an encouraging smile she quickly followed up with, "But you know, I really don't mind playing with you, and talking with you… You know, without robot involvement."

Again, the effect was immediate. A frenetic blend of joy and disappointment was written all over his face, but without a trace of the previous anger. It was amazing how quickly his mood could change—how quickly _she_ could change it. Gradually, as WordGirl spent more and more time with Tobey, she was coming to grips with the sobering realization that her words had far more power over him than her superhuman abilities.

"Then," Tobey muttered, finally gathering his wits enough to respond, "Why haven't you come when I've called you these past few days?"

WordGirl shrugged. "Tobey, I can't just drop everything and come anytime you want." She paused, offering him another reassuring smile. "I'm here now, though."

Tobey went uncharacteristically mute. He averted his eyes and donned a strange expression that looked like he was desperately trying to reclaim his anger in the midst of a growing rapture that he couldn't suppress. WordGirl giggled in spite of herself.

"So, what have you been working on lately?" she wondered aloud, casually glancing around the room. Something in the corner caught her eye—a partially constructed metal contraption that looked like a sphere with several tentacle-like appendages sticking out of it.

"What's this?" she asked, drifting toward it.

Tobey zipped into her way. "Nothing! It's not finished yet," he said urgently, throwing a blanket over it.

WordGirl raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. Huggy chirped for her attention, still riding on her back, and pointed to a corkboard on the wall sporting a sketch that vaguely resembled the device Tobey had hidden. She floated over to it and plucked it from the board, saying, "Is this the design for it?"

Tobey rushed over and tried to take it from her, but she held it high out of his reach and grinned coyly at him.

With an annoyed frown he crossed his arms and grumbled, "Yes."

WordGirl studied the image with a shifting sense of interest. It was a completely unfamiliar design with a band running around the diameter of the spherical body and three nasty looking tendrils protruding from either side—six in total. It looked like it would be a nightmare to fight, and as WordGirl thought this an apprehensive feeling rose up in her stomach.

"Wow," she muttered, trying to sound unconcerned. "It's... different."

"Impressed?" Tobey asked, back to his cocky old self.

"Yeah," she admitted. "It looks... scary."

Huggy moaned in agreement, and Tobey took their reactions as a compliment.

"Exactly right!" he exclaimed happily. "When this robot is finished, it will be capable of untold destruction!"

WordGirl hesitated for a moment, glancing at her sidekick and trying hard to smile. What was it Dr. Two-Brains had said? That Tobey was only going to get smarter, more powerful, and more evil? And now here was the evidence staring right up at her from the paper in her hand. It was a grim but needed reminder of what she was actually here for.

With a wistful sigh she turned to look at the young villain, eyes drawn up in a somber stare. "Tobey, you're so smart. Why do you waste your genius building things to destroy what other people have built?"

Tobey froze, and his eyes went wide. He was quiet for a long moment, fidgeting and refusing to meet her eyes. Apparently he was trying to reconcile her compliment of his talents with her calling the way he used them a 'waste.' When he found his voice, his tone was a mixture of confident and hesitant.

"I… wouldn't say I build destructive things… _exclusively…_ I've built lots of robots that serve practical purposes."

"Such as…?"

"Well, for example, I've reprogrammed my Shipshape-a-tron." He indicated a yellow broom-shaped robot hanging halfway outside his closet. "It's now a cleaning bot per the original intention."

"See, that's what I'm talking about! It's constructive, it's practical… I'd like to see more robots like _that_."

Huggy smiled and chittered in agreement, giving Tobey a thumbs-up.

"Well, you came to the right place!" Tobey stuck an enthusiastic finger in the air and rushed off to the closet, letting the Shipshape-a-tron fall over on the floor as he scampered inside, then hopped over it when he returned with a small robot in his arms. "Look here. This is a prototype for a surveillance droid that can fly around just like you and record video."

He pushed a button on the robot's egg-shaped body and it hummed to life, levitating out of his hands and orbiting a few times around WordGirl, making a few friendly-sounding beeps as if to greet her.

"Wow," WordGirl said with a giggle. "It's like something out of one of those Space Skirmish movies."

"That _was_ the general idea," Tobey stated proudly.

"What about this one?" she asked, indicating a machine at Tobey's left that could have passed for a metal crate if not for the rockets on its sides.

"Oh, I call that one the Fridgeratron," Tobey explained halfheartedly. "It's a probe with a built-in refrigeration unit."

"I see," WordGirl said, holding back a chuckle. "Why that particular combination?"

Tobey sounded a little embarrassed as he gingerly explained, "So that it can search the world for exotic flavors of ice cream and then… bring them back here."

Huggy squealed in excitement and licked his lips while WordGirl let loose a merry little laugh.

Tobey wilted a bit, tapping his fingers together as he admitted, "It… may seem a bit… superfluous."

"No, not at all," WordGirl heartily disagreed. "Superfluous means excessive or pointless. It might be a little unusual, but it's certainly not pointless. It's actually pretty cool."

She couldn't resist smirking at her own wordplay.

"You think so?" Tobey asked, clasping his hands in front of his chest and looking happier than she'd seen him since their last game of 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.'

"Yeah," WordGirl confirmed. "Hey, if it ever brings back an exotic flavor that _I_ might like, gimme a holler and maybe we can try it together."

"Really?!"

"Sure." She glanced off into space and, though she was completely serious, assumed a joking tone as she tentatively added, "As long as I don't have to fight any robots first."

Having said that, WordGirl went silent and froze her smile in place as she watched Tobey, ready to gauge his response. Pulse quickening nervously, she wondered what he would say. Was there even a chance it would be good? Was she crazy to even hope that _Tobey_ could be so easily persuaded?

Sure enough, he took on an incredulous expression and stared thoughtfully into space. WordGirl wished she could say she was surprised.

A moment later, just as was she about to sigh in defeat, a softly smiling and gently blushing Tobey murmured, "I suppose I could agree to that."

« ... »

 _Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope._

— _Romans 5:3-4_

* * *

 **Just for the record, I never expect people to read my author's notes. It means a lot to me when y'all do, but I know how long-winded I can be, and that is especially true in this case. #_# Seriously, I don't know how this chapter managed to generate so many stinkin' author's notes. DX This time I ought to give a reward to anyone who actually reads them. :P**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Well, Well, Well_ _—_ This is a joke of sorts that my late grandfather used to tell all the time. When I remembered it I thought it was just the sort of ridiculous humor that Tobey would go for, and I jumped at the chance to honor my Bampy through this scene. :P**

 **- _New Design_ _—_ I have to give credit for the design of Tobey's new battle robot to my little brother, the real-life boy genius in my world. Without his influence my portrayal of Tobey would be a lot less colorful, that's for sure.**

 **- _Size Matters_ _—_ Some of you more observant readers might be wondering, 'How tough could this new robot be if it can fit in a corner in Tobey's room?' ;P Well, to explain that one away, I'll be falling back on a scene in 'Robo Camping' where Tobey pushes a button on his remote that grows his robot from the size of a doll to the size of a tree. I know the science is totally impossible, but this is WordGirl we're talking about, and I'm actually really glad to have a convenient solution like this for all my robot woes. I mean, seriously, how else would he be able to fit anything he builds _anywhere_? *_* Speaking of which…**

 **- _Two Stories?_ _—_ Y'all can go ahead and laugh at me, but I had the darnedest time trying to figure out which floor of Tobey's house his room is on. ^^' In 'Tobey or Consequences' it's pretty clearly shown to be on the first floor, but in 'The Robot Problem' it seems to be on the second. *-* I suppose this inconsistency could be chalked up to lazy writing and brushed off, but where's the fun in that? ;P I prefer the challenge of trying to make sense of these things, so off I went. My original theory was that Tobey was moved upstairs at some point, but then my siblings pointed out something interesting… In 'Wordbot' Tobey is seen in two different scenes plotting/building in what appear to be two _different_ rooms. o.0 No _wonder_ he's so spoiled! XP Well, if you have a two-story house and only one child, I guess you might as well give him multiple rooms. Never know what he might need the extra space for. ^.^**

 **- _Shipshape-a-tron_ _—_ I don't know if I spelled/hyphenated this correctly (I don't have access to a copy of the episode with subtitles DX), but this robot was introduced in the episode 'Trustworthy Tobey.' He built it to clean his shed—*ahem* I mean, _laboratory_ for him, but when Becky slammed the door on it she 'boggled its robotic brain' and it went haywire.**

 **- _New Territory_ _—_ I actually had a really hard time with the WG/Tobey dialogue in this chapter. DX It's the type of situation that never happens in the canon, and as such, it's hard to say exactly how the characters would act—particularly Tobey. It seemed to me that at this point his anger toward WordGirl was so in conflict with his feelings for her that even _he_ couldn't quite tell how he should act. As such, I ultimately decided that the best way to keep him _in_ character would be to show a reaction so raw that it almost seems _out_ of character. I don't know how effectively I was able to pull it off, though… ^^' Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions. :)**

 **- _Theme Song: "Can't Live Without You" by Owl City_ _—_ To me this song sort of represents the _sub_ conscious side of Tobey's feelings for WordGirl. I'm sure not everyone would agree, but I feel like deep down, he sort of _wants_ her to stop him. I have to laugh when, in episodes like 'Tobey or Consequences' and 'Book Ends,' he challenges her to things that it's so obvious she'll win. I suppose that could be interpreted as him wanting to beat her at her own game, but I don't see it that way. My years of experience as a Sunday School teacher have fostered in me the belief that young children have a God-given thirst for correction that they aren't necessarily aware of, but that is there nonetheless. Honestly, I think Tobey's unconscious desire to be 'rescued' from the dangerous path he's on is the true root of his crush on WordGirl, and I think that's just beautiful. :3**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _This Is Your Life_ _" by_ _Switchfoot_ _—_ This is Becky's admonition to Tobey, but laid out far more eloquently than her 12-year-old self is capable of communicating—particularly in her current agitated state. ^-^**

 **- _T_ _ell 'Em What They've Won!_ _—_ *takes a deeeeeep breath* Oh, BOY! Thanks for slogging through all that blather, dedicated readers! :3 And now for your reward. ;D If you'd like a sneak-peak at a scene from the next chapter, send me a PM with the codeword 'Saruwatari.'**


	8. Anagnorisis

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Guess Who's Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner,' 'Cherish Is The Word,' 'Best Fanclub Meeting Ever,' and 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **I just want to say that it totally made my week finding out how many people are not only reading, but actually _enjoying_ my rambling Author's Notes. You guys rock! ;D**

 ***grins stupidly* A tip to my fellow WordGirl authors: writing interactions between Tobey and Scoops is _so much fun!_ XD I wonder why the writers of the show didn't do more with such an interesting character contrast. :P Well, _I_ for one am definitely going to play around some more with these two in the future. ^.^**

* * *

Anagnorisis [an-ag- **nawr** - _uh_ -sis] – the critical moment of recognition or discovery.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Tobey stared out the car window with his head in the clouds, smiling and humming an upbeat tune. Buildings and traffic passed in a blur while his reflection on the glass remained stationary—a poetry of motion and stillness. Usually this boring daily drive to the even worse tedium of school was a frustrating and hated necessity, but today he was practically enjoying it.

 _"_ _I really don't mind playing with you, and talking with you,"_ his heroine's disarming words repeated in his mind. _"_ _Tobey, you're so smart…" "So, what have you been working on lately?…" "It's actually pretty coo_ _l_ _…" "gimme a holler and maybe we can try it together."_

He unconsciously let out a long sigh, staring up at the sky and fancying he saw her fly past. To think that WordGirl would tire of fighting his robots and yet willingly come to spend leisure time with him and only him. That she would say such wonderful things to him… things that he'd always wanted to hear but, when he was honest with himself, never _really_ expected to. It was like a dream come true.

"I expect you to behave yourself at school today, Tobey," his mother's stern voice cut into his reverie.

"Yes, mother," Tobey murmured without his accent, still grinning out the window. Not even she could crush his good spirits today. Her instructions just barely registered in his mind while it drifted on softly flowing streams of pure joy.

"And if I hear a _word_ about robots from _anyone_ , there will be serious consequences."

"Uh-huh."

"And make sure you tell Miss Davis how grateful you are that she's letting you turn in your homework late, especially since the _reason_ it's late is because you were spending your study time planning the atrocity you committed last week."

Tobey perked, his attention drawn by a single word amidst her lecture. Grateful.

 _"Grateful means thankful or appreciative,"_ WordGirl had said on Thanksgiving last year, one of the first times he could remember when she had elected to sit and talk with him rather than just fight it out with his robots. _"There's got to be_ something _you're thankful for."_

He had to admit, at the moment he was thankful for a lot of things. He was, as he'd almost admitted to her face that day, grateful for _her_ , and now more than ever. He was grateful for her time, her kindness, her words… For the first time he felt like she actually _wanted_ to be a part of his life, and for that he was immeasurably grateful. To think it never would have happened if it weren't for…

His eyes popped as he suddenly remembered the person to whom he owed this tremendous pleasure.

"That's right," he murmured, stroking his chin. "Perhaps I ought to thank her."

"Right then, dear," said his mother.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

"Hi, Violet! Hey, Scoops," Becky greeted excitedly, and she rushed into the lunchroom to meet her friends.

"Becky," Violet exclaimed.

"How goes it?" asked Scoops with a smile.

"Oh, _much_ better," Becky said, putting a hand to her chest. "After what happened on Friday, I was beginning to have my doubts about this whole thing, but I think things are finally starting to look up."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Violet exclaimed.

"Yeah," Scoops agreed, glancing across the room at the end of the lunch line, where Tobey had just queued up. "Tobey seems a lot happier than usual today."

Violet looked to him, then back to her best friend. "So does Becky."

"I _am_ happy," Becky said joyfully. "When I think about the prospect of never having to fight a giant robot again…"

She stared off into space and heaved a dreamy sigh, clasping her hands by her cheek.

Violet's smile remained while her eyes rolled up toward the ceiling in a puzzling expression. Finally she ventured, "So a prospect is like… a good dream, right?"

"Close," Becky said, breaking her happy trance. "A prospect is something that you believe might happen or that you hope will happen."

"Ahhhh… so you're happy because you're thinking about what it would be like if Tobey stopped being a villain."

"Exactly."

"That _is_ a great prospect. I mean, how amazing would that be?"

"I know, right?"

"You could become friends, and we might all start doing things together all the time, and—"

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Becky interrupted.

"Becky's right," Scoops cut in. "It's _way_ too early to celebrate. Just because Tobey hasn't caused any robot mayhem in a while doesn't mean he's given up villainy. Changes like that don't just happen overnight."

"Valid point, Scoops," Becky conceded, her spirits deflating just a little. She looked over at Tobey, who was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet with his hands behind his back, and she muttered through a sigh, "I guess we're not out of the woods yet… Come to think of it, I should go check on him."

"Good idea, Becky," said Violet. "We can all go!"

" _All_?" Scoops asked, sounding less than thrilled.

Becky's eyes widened and sparkled. "Really? Thanks, you guys!"

"No problem, Becky," Violet said with a resolute nod. "That's what friends are for. Let's go check on Tobey!"

She spoke with great enthusiasm, though barely above a whisper, and flitted off like a pixie with her arms extended in lieu of wings.

Becky smiled and turned to her other friend, lightly clasping her hands in front of her skirt. "Ready, Scoops?"

Scoops gave a groaning sigh and lethargically slumped his shoulders. "Sure. Let's go… check on… Tobey. For the win!"

He pumped his fist for the last part, wearing a somewhat forced smile. Becky's smile, however, was genuine enough for the both of them. She squeezed her hands together and tried not to let herself stray off once more into the forbidden territory of her willfully forgotten affections. However she may have felt about Scoops in the past, it didn't matter now. She wouldn't dream of coming between her two best friends when it was so obvious how much they cared for one other.

Scoops headed after Violet, and Becky followed in his wake, turning her thoughts to how grateful she truly was to have such faithful comrades.

As they approached the back of the lunch line Violet waved and brightly greeted, "Salutations, Tobey!"

Tobey turned and regarded the group with a casual smile. "Oh, hello Becky, and… Becky's friends."

"You seriously don't remember me?" Scoops muttered incredulously. "You tried to crush me with a giant robot on Valentine's Day two years ago."

"Oh, that's right! Your name always made me think of ice cream… Dear, what was it, what was it…?"

Tobey trailed off, thoughtfully tapping his chin.

Scoops blinked, and his face washed blank. "I suddenly feel tempted to start going by Todd."

Becky smiled suddenly and clapped her hands together. "Hey, I just noticed something! Todd Scoops Ming. Theodore Tobey McCallister… You two have the same first and last initials!"

Tobey and Scoops stared at each other with the same stupefied look on their faces, like they'd been confronted by something unpleasant.

"Nope," the former said dryly. "Definitely staying Scoops."

"Come to think of it," Violet said, smiling exuberantly at Becky and pointing to the two boys, "They both go by their middle names, too!"

Tobey grimaced and muttered under his breath, "Perhaps I should start going by Theodore."

Becky giggled jovially. She never would have thought that such a casual, friendly interaction could take place between Tobey and her little circle of friends. What a relief it was to think that things were actually changing for the better. If she'd known it were possible, she would have pursued this endeavor long ago.

Finally they arrived at the lunch counter, and the lunch lady set a small bowl of peas on each of their trays. On Becky's either side, while _her_ eyes widened with excitement, Tobey and Scoops simultaneously gave an annoyed groan, then went silent and stared into space in opposite directions.

"I'll take them if you guys don't want them," she offered happily.

"Becky, you actually _like_ these things?" Scoops asked.

"Are you kidding?" Becky countered. "I _love_ them."

Tobey stared at her, disbelievingly raising an eyebrow. "You love… peas?"

Becky gave a defensive shrug. "What? It's salubrious to like vegetables."

Tobey said nothing, just stared at her, and she realized what an unusual word she'd just used. "Oh, uh, sorry… salubrious means healthy. What I was trying to say was that liking vegetables is good for your health."

Tobey continued to stare at her like she was from another planet—which, to be fair, she was—then reached down and grabbed his bowl of peas, setting it down on her tray as he dully muttered, "It's also quite… unusual."

Becky snorted a chuckle and teased, "This coming from a boy genius who builds robots and smashes buildings for fun?"

"Touché, _Becky_ ," Tobey said mirthfully, putting what seemed a superfluous amount of stress on her name. Smacking his right fist in his open left palm, he said, "Oh, that reminds me. I've been meaning to thank you."

Becky was stunned. "Huh? Wait, thank _me_? For what?"

"Well, I must admit, your advice to shout for WordGirl, though still far cruder a means than _I_ would've chosen, wasn't… _quite_ as ridiculous as I had first assumed. I'm grateful to you for suggesting it."

Becky blinked, then smiled. "Wow, Tobey. That's so nice of you."

"So WordGirl came when you called her, huh?" Scoops observed, winking at Becky as he added, "Imagine that."

"You must've been happy to see her," said Violet.

"I was quite pleased," Tobey acknowledged, and Becky restrained a giggle at how much he'd downplayed his true reaction.

"So," Violet continued, "now that you don't need your robots to get WordGirl's attention anymore, what do you think you'll do with them?"

Becky smiled at Violet's cleverness. It was amazing how she'd found a way to ask after exactly what Becky wanted to know, but without sounding deliberate about it.

Tobey gave a condescending chuckle and vainly said, "Oh, there's a wide variety of practical and constructive ways that I can use my robots. They can be used to clean messes, transport heavy objects, and even…" He trailed off for a moment, then eyed Becky and finished in a sly voice, "…gather information."

"Well, that's great, Tobey," Becky praised, beaming happily. "I'm so glad to hear that you're using your talents for something _good_ for a change."

"Yes, I'm sure you are," he muttered. "Well, I'll be going, then. Ta ta."

"Sayonara, Tobey," Violet called with a light wave as Tobey headed for the tables.

Becky could hardly contain her glee, and drew up her hands to her chest in a show of pure delight. "Oh, I'm so happy, you guys! It's actually working!"

Scoops gave her a smile and a hearty thumbs-up. "Congratulations, Becky."

Staring after Tobey, Violet donned a contemplative expression and put a finger to her chin. "I wonder why _that_ reminded him."

"Huh?"

"What do you mean, Violet?" Becky asked.

Violet's eyes wandered upward, like she was replaying the conversation in her head. "After Becky finished talking about peas, Tobey said, 'Oh, that reminds me,' and then he thanked her for her advice about WordGirl. Doesn't that connection seem… strange?"

"I guess it's a _little_ strange," Becky conceded. By now she supposed she should be used to the bizarre observations that Violet would make at the most random of times.

" _Tobey's_ a little strange," Scoops pointed out. "Honestly, I've never had much luck understanding the connections between _any_ of the things he says."

"Hmm…" Violet murmured, staring across the room at the subject himself.

Tobey sat alone at a table in the far corner of the lunchroom and aimlessly began running his spoon in a circle through his mashed potatoes. A thoughtful look played across his face.

"Uhhhh…" the Narrator murmured. "Why do I have a bad feeling all of a sudden?"

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 _Peas? She likes… peas?_

Honestly, how many kids could even _stomach_ those dreadful vegetables, let alone enjoy them? Aside from Becky Botsford, Tobey only knew of one…

 _"_ _You have got to be kidding me,"_ he remembered saying to Becky's brother. The phrase was just as appropriate now as it had been back when the irritating seven-year-old had divulged the 'big secret' that had turned out simply to be WordGirl's favorite food.

Peas.

Driven by an indomitable, insatiable curiosity, Tobey rushed up the stairs to his room and flung open the door to his closet, pulling a box down from the back shelf that had been angrily labeled in red marker:

'SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE - BY JOVE, YOU'VE WRECKED MY ROBOT'

 _"_ _Um… there wouldn't happen to be any giant robots that correspond to these little ones and that could cause mayhem in the city if I lose, would there?"_

WordGirl had asked him this not two weeks ago, the first time they had played his purposefully and painstakingly designed game. It was indeed an odd concern for someone who had never played before. It was like she had been there when he played with Becky almost two years ago. But she had proven then that she _hadn't_ been there… right?

He opened the box and immediately set to fingering through the stacks of dusty discs inside.

 _"_ _I am_ not _WordGirl,"_ Becky had stubbornly insisted, back when _she_ had played the game with him. _"I mean, haven't we been through this before?"_

"Yes," he muttered aloud, repeating the reply he'd given her as he selected a disc from the box and stared at it suspiciously. "Yes we have."

One too many times, it seemed. The coincidence of it all brought _everything_ into question.

He inserted the disc into his probe droid, which extended its body into an interactive display screen, and selected one of the recordings from the moment when 'WordGirl' had started battling his robots. Sure enough, the heroine's dark silhouette filled his robot's field of view as she called out something about justice. Behind her, however, he saw another one of his robots—Number 7—looking right at the camera.

He closed the file and selected Number 7's recording for the same time slot. Then, as he witnessed the takedown of Number 2 from a different perspective, a triumphant smile slowly crept up the sides of his face.

Apparently WordGirl's favorite food wasn't such a useless secret after all.

« ... »

 _Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free._

— _John 8:32_

* * *

 **So it begins… The second plot arc… I'm getting goosebumps, people. X)**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _"You tried to crush me with a giant robot_ _on_ _Valentine's Day_ _two_ _year_ _s ago_ _."_ _—_ This is a reference to the season 3 episode 'Cherish Is the Word,' in which Tobey challenged Scoops to a duel in an effort to impress WordGirl. XP Again, I don't know if the chronology is perfectly sound, but since that kind of thing is _really_ hard to pinpoint, I'm just not going to worry about it.**

 **- _You Scream, I Screa_ _m_ _—_ The ice cream joke originated with my mom, who once connected the name 'Scoops' to ice cream rather than to journalism, giving my siblings and I a good laugh. Once I connected that joke to _Tobey_ , however, I knew I'd have to try and make it famous. :P Oh, and just for the record, I don't think Tobey actually forgot Scoops and Violet's names. I think he's just being a playful jerk. :P**

 **- _Nicknames and_ _Middle Names_ _—_ I think the short episode 'Play Date' makes it fairly clear that 'Tobey' is Tobey's middle name, since the initials 'TTM' were on his remote, but I suppose it could be argued that 'Scoops' is just a nickname. However, at the end of 'Invasion of the Bunny Lovers' Scoops says, "It's hard to keep things confidential when your name is Scoops." He specifically says 'name,' not 'nickname,' so it seems to me that Scoops is actually his middle name. I can't prove it, but that's my headcanon. It may seem like a kind of weird name to give your kid, even as a middle name, but hey… I've heard weirder. Also, I can't take credit for noticing that Scoops and Tobey have the same initials. I got it from an observant comment on the WordGirl wiki, and I always thought it would be a fun detail to draw attention to. :)**

 **- _Tobey's Realization_ _—_ The ending of 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot' never sat right with me and my younger siblings. The episode was just so well plotted and Tobey's plan so well thought through that the way Becky wiggled out of it always seemed like such a deus-ex-machina. To us it would have made so much more sense for the story if they had just let Tobey find out her secret identity at that point. *grumbles* Lucky for me, though, my little brother noticed that in the video feed from robot number 2 you can see another robot staring right at the camera, and he deftly observed, "If Tobey had just seen the view from _that_ robot's camera, Becky would've been caught." Plus, I always thought it would be awesome if the peas secret from 'Best Fanclub Meeting Ever' actually ended up being useful to Tobey for something. ;D**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Light Up_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ This is the essence of how Tobey sees WordGirl—his conscious feelings at their purest, simplest, and most innocent. The second verse could even be interpreted as his realization that WordGirl and Becky are the same person.**


	9. Peripeteia

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Tobey or Consequences' and 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Now is the perfect time for me to give a big shout-out to my baby sister Lucinda Cottontale. Some of y'all don't know this, but she's one of my main brainstorming partners and is therefore responsible for coming up with a lot of the story's content. She just started publishing her novelization of _Minecraft: Story Mode_ , and she's trying to write it so that it reads like an original story and makes sense for the most part even if you don't know the story or the world. I encourage you guys to check it out! I've been helping her write it just like she's been helping me write _Saving Tobey_ , and I am of the strong opinion that it's gonna be awesome! :D (fun geek fact: Patton Oswalt, the voice actor who plays the main character in MCSM, is the same guy who plays Tobey XP)**

 **Also, I have a special announcement to make pertaining to _this_ story at the end of my Author's Notes. :D It's a little long, but I hope you guys will take a couple minutes to check it out, because it potentially has to do with everyone reading. ;)**

 ***grows suddenly somber and heaves a deeeeeeep sigh***

 **Okay… Here goes nothing.**

* * *

Peripeteia [per- _uh_ -pi- **tahy** - _uh_ ] – a sudden turn of events or an unexpected reversal.

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"Oooh, I'm so excited!" Becky's mom exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air only to smack them against the roof of the car. Unfazed, she happily went on, "I can't believe we won tickets to the unveiling of the world's biggest ice cream sandwich!"

"I know, it's amazing!" Dad agreed, taking one hand off the steering wheel just long enough to pump his fist victoriously. "Especially since we never even entered a contest."

Bob shrugged with a questioning squeak, and Becky explained with a smile and a finger in the air, "An unveiling is when you show or reveal something for the first time, usually something that has been hidden until that point."

"Oh boy," the Narrator inserted out of nowhere. "I sure hope that wasn't foreshadowing."

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"Never mind," he mumbled pensively. "It's nothing…"

Becky narrowed her gaze, wondering what that had been about.

"But why do Becky and I have to spend the day at _Tobey's_ house?" TJ complained, sullenly crossing his arms. Bob followed suit in a show of agreement.

"Well, Dear," Mom explained, "We only have tickets for your father and I to attend the event, and Claire graciously offered to have you three for the afternoon, since Tobey is always coming over to play at _our_ house."

Becky remained decidedly silent. She had mixed feelings about spending yet another day with Tobey. On the one hand, she felt like she'd seen more than enough of him in the past couple of weeks. On the other, she had to admit that their time together _was_ gradually becoming less and less unpleasant. He hadn't even called her for the past week, she reminded herself with a satisfied grin. Perhaps today she'd find that her work was nearly finished, and that prospect brightened her spirits considerably.

"Plus," Mom added, "she says he's really excited to see Becky."

Becky perked with interest. "He's excited to see _me_?"

She hadn't expected _that_. Granted, relations between Tobey and Becky Botsford had seen some mild improvement in recent days, but she was still under the impression that he pretty much just tolerated her. She wouldn't have thought he had already come along to the point that he actually looked forward to seeing her.

"That's what his mom said," affirmed Mrs. Botsford. "I'm so glad you two are finally getting along."

"Yeah," Becky said, a bit surprised at the warmth in her own voice. "Me too."

"I still think we should've asked Johnson's mom if we could stay at _their_ house," TJ grumbled, oblivious to his sister's musings.

"Aaaaand, we're here," Dad announced, ignoring TJ completely as they pulled into the driveway of the luxurious suburban house that Becky knew all too well.

Tobey's mother came out to meet them, wearing an expression of disappointment, and she started speaking to Becky's mother no sooner than she'd rolled down her window.

"I'm terribly sorry, Sally," she said. "I just got called into the office."

"On a Sunday?" Mom sounded surprised.

"Emergency business," Claire explained. "Apparently someone broke into the building last night and ransacked the place."

"Oh, no!" Becky's mom exclaimed, putting a hand over her mouth.

"Don't worry, they don't think anything was stolen. However, they need me to re-file the affected paperwork and make certain nothing is missing. I hired a babysitter for my Tobey, and she said she would be more than happy to look after your brood as well, if that's all right with you."

"Oh, that's perfectly fine," Mom said with a nod and a smile. "I hope everything goes well at the office."

"Right. Shall I see the children inside?"

"Oh, no, I think Becky and TJ can manage a trip to the front door." She paused to laugh, then turned to her son and daughter as they climbed out of the car. "Right, kids?"

"We'll be fine, mom," Becky said, leading a sullen TJ and lethargic Bob up the walkway toward the house and calling out behind her, "Bye Mom and Dad! Have fun at the unveiling!"

"Bye, you two," their mom said with a wave.

"Say hi to Tobey and the babysitter for us," added their dad.

The sound of two vehicles departed down the street behind them, and Becky recognized the red-headed girl who met them at the front door as the same babysitter who had been watching Tobey on the day he had forced WordGirl to play 'Crash or Pie.' It seemed like such a long time ago…

"Hi, you two," the girl greeted, her ponytail whipping around her head as she spun around and ushered them inside, where the next thing Becky saw was Tobey.

"Becky," he exuberantly greeted, giving her hand a vigorous shake. He glanced to her right, adding with less enthusiasm, "And… Becky's brother. So nice to see you both!"

"Sure," TJ said insincerely with a roll of his eyes.

Bob gave a flustered moan and crossed his arms, annoyed at having been forgotten, and placidly pushed the front door closed.

"Have I introduced you to my incompetent babysitter?" Tobey indicated the smiling redhead, and Becky raised an eyebrow at his choice of words. Even more surprisingly, he went on in a flattering tone, "I just _adore_ her! She's positively oblivious!"

"Aww," the girl murmured, blushing and patting Tobey on the head. "You're so sweet."

Tobey flashed a toothy smile while Becky wrinkled up her mouth, utterly baffled. Was she hearing things?

"Well, since everyone is here, what say we do something fun?" Tobey suggested. He pointed to TJ and said, "I seem to recall that you enjoy singing. We have a new karaoke machine set up in the living room if you'd like to give it a go."

TJ lit up at that. "Hey, that _does_ sound fun!"

"Oh, I _love_ karaoke," said the babysitter.

Even Bob chimed in with an enthusiastic squeak.

"Smashing," said Tobey. He slipped behind Becky, lightly grabbed her shoulders, and started pushing her toward the stairs as he babbled, "Have at it, then. Becky and I will just be upstairs doing boring intellectual stuff. You won't even miss us."

"That's for sure," TJ muttered. "Becky can't sing to save her life."

" _Really_?" Tobey commented before Becky had the chance to snap back at TJ. "That's… convenient."

Becky was so bewildered by Tobey's behavior that she didn't think to resist as he herded her up toward his room. Honing in on the thing she was most curious about, she turned to look at him and asked, "Why did your babysitter act all happy and bashful when you called her incompetent and oblivious?"

"Well, I'm guessing she assumed 'incompetent' was a compliment because of the way I said it," Tobey smugly replied. "And I told her earlier that 'oblivious' meant witty and interesting."

"What?" Becky blasted, rounding on Tobey just as they'd reached his room. "You _purposely_ misdefined a word for someone?!"

Opening the door and stepping into the room, he questioned snidely, "Does that bother you… Becky?"

"Of _course_ it bothers me," she huffed, following him inside.

Tobey closed the door behind her and turned to face her, unflinchingly wearing the same sly grin as she sternly rebuked, "You can't just let someone think words like that are compliments! Imagine if she called one of her friends or parents oblivious! Oblivious means unconscious or unaware of what's happening around you!"

"Oh, I see," Tobey mocked, arrogantly crossing his arms and leaning back against the door. "Like you."

Becky crossed her own arms, shooting a defiant glare at Tobey. "What's _that_ supposed to—?"

Her train of thought was abruptly cut off when her super-hearing was assaulted by the sound of people screaming. It was coming from town, and the few scattered words she was able to make out sent a chill down her spine. "Help!" "Robot!" "It's heading into the City!"

Becky gasped.

"I'm sorry, did you hear something?" Tobey asked.

Becky looked up at him, flustered and confused. He'd meant to ask her if she _said_ something, hadn't he? And why was there a robot heading into the City when Tobey was standing right here in front of her?

"Oh," she muttered with a weak chuckle, "it's nothing. Never mind."

"Hmm?"

She didn't have time to puzzle over this. Whatever was going on, she just needed to get out of here and find a place to transform into WordGirl.

Before she could think of an excuse to leave, Tobey said out of nowhere, "I have something to show you."

He pulled a remote from his pocket and pointed it at the little egg-shaped probe robot that he'd shown to WordGirl last week. With the press of a button, it hovered into the air in front of Becky and expanded its midsection into a small screen.

Becky fidgeted nervously. What was Tobey getting at? The sounds of screaming from the city were getting louder and more numerous—the smashing footfalls of the robot getting closer and closer to the densely populated areas. That thing had to be Tobey's, right? But he didn't seem like he was even aware of what it was doing. Could it be acting on its own? Should she ask him about it? But how could she without revealing that she'd heard it from an impossible distance?

"Remember that time we played 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot?'" Tobey asked, cutting into her worries.

"Yeah," she answered. What brought _that_ up? Sure, he'd been playing it with WordGirl lately, but what did that have to do with…?

Tobey innocently scratched at the side of his face as he explained, "Well, recently it occurred to me that I never watched _all_ of the video I recorded during our game. Take a look. It's quite amusing."

He pointed to the screen, and Becky reluctantly turned to look. She felt the blood drain from her face as she watched a clear recording of Bob—in his diaper, no less—jumping onto the shoulder of one of Tobey's robots. He held a WordGirl doll in front of its face before hopping up onto its head and ripping off the antenna, causing it to shut down and collapse. The recording ended, the screen cut to black, and Becky's heart fell into her stomach.

"You know, that monkey looks _awfully_ familiar," Tobey commented, feigning ignorance.

Becky spun around to face him, frantically waving her hands in front of her. "Tobey, it's not what it looks like!"

"Not what it looks like, hmm?" Tobey raised an eyebrow and cocked his head toward her just a little, still leaning back against the room's only door. "Well, let's explore that, shall we? It _looks_ like it's _your_ monkey."

A gentle whack of metal against wood sounded behind Becky, and she turned around to see that his box-shaped Fridgeratron had climbed up onto the windowsill and parked itself in the perfect position to block the window.

"If it's _not_ what it looks like," Tobey went on, "Then the fact that he's fighting my robots would indicate that it is in fact _WordGirl's_ monkey."

The Shipeshape-a-tron positioned itself at Tobey's side, like it was standing guard. With a confident, unnerving smile, Tobey continued, "And if WordGirl's monkey was trying to make it look like my robot was fighting WordGirl, that can only mean one thing."

"Tobey, you can't—!"

"WordGirl wasn't really _there!_ "

The sharp, accusatory glance he shot at her pierced like an arrow, leaving Becky breathless and trembling. "I… I…"

Another assault on her ears told her that the robot's attack on the city had begun. The cracking of concrete and toppling of buildings ushered in the loudest clamor of frightened citizens yet. Clenching her fists in desperation, Becky stepped toward Tobey, summoning the last of her courage.

"This is ridiculous," she blasted in his face. "I'm getting the babysitter."

Tobey stood his ground, refusing her access to the door. "Why?" he challenged. "I'm not doing anything… Unless you know something that you could only know if you had super-hearing."

"Get out of my way, Tobey!"

"Why don't you _make_ me, Becky?"

Becky froze in fearful shock at the irony of his challenge. With her strength, she could _easily_ force him to move, but not without proving his point _for_ him. The destruction from the city was getting worse and louder by the second. People were screaming for WordGirl, wondering where she was.

"Well?" Tobey taunted. "Aren't you going to do something? You hear it, don't you?"

He'd finally admitted to the attack—not that it mattered at this point.

Becky took a step back, raising her arms in front of her. She willed steadiness into her voice, but what came out was no more than a frightened whisper. "I don't… know what you—"

"Don't think you can dance your way around this one by waiting for my Mother to come and save you," Tobey interrupted. "My robot's first target was all the major freeways, so I doubt Mum will be able to make it back home anytime soon."

Becky gasped in horrified realization. "You were the one who ransacked the DA's office, weren't you?"

Tobey donned a sinister smile, then nodded to the Fridgeratron blocking the window. "I was also the one who made the world's largest ice cream sandwich. Oh, and should you take the notion to call for your brother and my _oblivious_ babysitter, be advised that my karaoke _bot_ is equipped with a wave scrambler that can block any sound outside its immediate vicinity."

Tobey's vindictive grin as he challengingly stared her down was enough to chill Becky's blood. Two-Brains' haunting words echoed in her mind, snuffing out all hope. _Smarter… more powerful… and more evil._

Becky bit her lip, feeling the pressure of Tobey's destiny, as well as his ultimatum, closing in like moving walls all around her. Finally, heart pounding out of her chest, she swallowed and asked, "Tobey, what do you want?"

The young villain closed his eyes and turned his face toward the ground. "All I want is for you to honestly answer one simple question," he said with a casual shrug. Training his piercing stare on Becky once more, he brazenly asked, "Who… is… WordGirl?"

Becky's heart shrank inside her until her courage was all but dead. Her desperate search for a way out of this had availed nothing, and with a pang of deep terror, she recognized that there _was_ no way out. This was the third time. Tobey's charm and her final strike. There would be no fooling him after this. He was already convinced beyond swaying… so there was really no point denying it anymore.

"All right!" she exclaimed, closing her eyes and clenching her fists at her sides. "You win! I'm WordGirl!"

Her heart was on fire. She seized her eyes shut and waited anxiously for Tobey to belt out an evil laugh and begin his gloating rant. Instead what came out of his mouth was the simple challenge, "Prove it."

As if responding to a command, Tobey's egg-shaped probe robot hovered into view. Black at first, the screen blinked to a real-time image of Becky, reflecting her blanched face like a mirror.

This time Becky couldn't swallow the horror rising up in her throat. This was too much… It was just too cruel! Was it really not enough for him to trap her in his room and force her to confess her most guarded secret? Did he have to push her so far as to give him hard evidence that he could hold over her head for the rest of her life?

"Someone help!" issued another gut-wrenching scream from town. "My daughter is in there!"

Choking on a scream of her own, Becky seized her eyes closed and let her instincts take over. She raised a hand to her chest and transformed into WordGirl in a flash of light. Shooting a hateful glare at Tobey, she blasted through the window, searing a hole right through his refrigerator robot.

Her anger drove her into town in a matter of seconds, and she cried out in rage as she bolted through the chest of Tobey's robot, leaving a smoking hole in place of its riveted heart. Furiously… superfluously… WordGirl continued her frenzied attack. She tore off both the robot's hands, dropped them, then tied its arms into a knot. She blasted through its left eye and out the back of its head, then shot through again from behind, coming out the other eye. Finally she picked up the giant metal hands from the ground and hatefully launched them at the robot's can-shaped body so that they embedded themselves in its chest.

The defunct robot sputtered and sparked, then fell to the ground in a twitching heap, obliterated before it even realized it was under attack. It was WordGirl's fastest and most Pyrrhic victory ever.

Seething and fuming, WordGirl glared down at the pile of scrap metal, and with the distraction of the all-too-short battle now past, the haunting reality of what had just happened began to sink in. Her carefree days of fighting evil from the protective embrace of anonymity were over. Tobey knew who she was… and now he even had proof.

Fighting back tears, she took to the skies in a flash. She didn't even know where she was going—only that she had to get away. But what was the use? No matter where she went, there was no escaping her fate.

 _Why, Tobey?_ She bit a trembling lip, and soared senselessly onward. _Why would you do this to me? I_ _thought you were actually starting to change!_

« ... »

 _The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead._

— _Psalm 143:3_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Is this how God feels?_ _—_ This was one of those chapters that got me excited when I was brainstorming it, but nervous while I was writing it. *-* This chapter kind of made me wish I didn't know Tobey _quite_ so well, because it was actually a little painful making him act in character at this point. :| These frustrating reminders of how badly he needs this process can be hard to watch sometimes… I hope I didn't crush anyone's mood _too_ badly by dropping this bombshell right when the story was starting to get nice and fluffy. :(**

 **- _Logic Fail_ _—_ I realize that Becky could have easily destroyed Tobey's camera bot as WordGirl. Give her a break, will you? She's kinda stressed out right now—she can't be expected to think of _everything_. Plus, destroying Tobey's evidence wouldn't undo the fact that he knows her secret, and she doesn't exactly want to get on his bad side right now.**

 **- _"Becky can't sing to save her life."_ _—_ There might be other episodes that establish this, but the one I'm thinking of is 'Two-Brains Quartet,' where Becky's family kicked her out of their barber shop quartet and replaced her with Bob. XP**

 **- _Today's Word List_ _—_ I don't normally put much thought into making the words Becky defines relevant to the story, let alone try to use them over and over again the way the show would. Pretty much the extent of my thoughtfulness in that area is trying to get at least one definition into each chapter. That being the case, I was really happy that both the words Becky defined in this chapter actually _connected_ with the subject matter, and I had to smile at how many times I was able to relevantly use the word 'oblivious.' XP**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _The Chase_ _" by_ _Manafest_ _—_ This song is about Tobey's drive, for good _and_ for ill. He's like a dog with a bone. Even when things are starting to turn for the better, and he's happy, and there's no reason for him to rock the boat, he _still_ can't let go of certain things. He can't help himself. He has to keep chasing after WordGirl, even now that she's coming to him willingly. And I love how, in the midst of all the grungy-sounding rap lines about drive and ambition, there's a subtle thread of longing, and need, and deep thirst for change. It's got more of Tobey's heart in it than I think even Tobey himself would realize.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Pretending_ _" by_ _Out of the Grey_** ** _—_ ****The connection with this one is a little tricky to figure since the context I'm going for is so different from the intended context of the song (especially in the second verse). Even so, it's kinda cool how the words, if not the mood, pretty accurately describe what's going through Becky's head right now. Even the little hopeful note at the end, though Becky is far from feeling it right now, is fitting to what's happening and what's on the horizon.**

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 **SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:**

 ** _Let's play, 'By Jove, You've Rocked My Review_ _!_ _' XD_**

 **I want to try something with you guys** ** _—_** **an 'audience interaction game' of sorts that I developed with my sister Lucinda Cottontale. Don't feel any pressure to participate, but if you do, I'll try my best to make it fun. :P I really enjoyed the experience I had two chapters ago when I offered a sneak-peek for the next chapter to anyone who read all my Author's Notes. I was able to interact with people who I didn't even know were reading the story, and the encouragement that my Author's Notes are actually enjoyable for some of my readers was heartening. :3 I even got some constructive feedback on how to improve the scene before unveiling it to the public! XD**

 **The whole thing made me want to think of more ways I could incorporate audience interaction into the writing process, and that spurred me to revisit a pipe dream that I've had for a while. See, I've always wanted to try to come up with a fun way of encouraging my readers to leave thoughtful reviews. Nothing gets my writing motivation in high-gear like hearing the specific things that people found effective, touching, or impacting, and constructive criticism helps me hone my writing skills. Some of you guys do this anyway, and that's awesome! But I thought, 'how fun would it be if I could actually offer some kind of reward and/or incentive for thoughtful reviews?' Well, the only thing I can really offer you guys is my writing, but since that's what you're all here for, I figure that'll do. ;P**

 **So here's how the game works…**

 **Each time I post a new chapter, I'll have a preview for the _next_ chapter ready to go. There will be a 'teaser' version and also a 'full' version about twice the length of the teaser. If you leave a review of any length ****for the latest chapter** **that is actually about the story (sorry, spammers :P) and that I can reply to (sorry, anonymous reviewers T-T), I'll send you the teaser sneak-peek. _But_ , if you leave a _thoughtful_ review, I'll send you the full preview. I'll decide what constitutes a thoughtful review at my own discretion, but basically what I mean is something more substantial than just 'Great chapter!'**

 **Don't get me wrong! I'll take _any_ confirmation that you lovely folks are enjoying my work, and I'm more than happy to get simple reviews. :) But like I said, it makes me absolutely _giddy_ to hear about specific things that you liked, or even _didn't_ like. A review doesn't need to be long to be thoughtful. Just think about what kind of reviews you would like to get for your own stories, and use that as a guideline. ;)**

 **My hope is that this process will not only give my readers incentive to provide me with valuable feedback, but will also give you guys the chance to offer tips and suggestions _before_ the chapters are published, and that this in turn will make you feel like you are part of the process rather than simply watching from the sidelines.**

 **(Now I know that some of you are even more spoiler-conscious than I am, and you _don't want_ sneak-peeks. If that's you, just let me know either through a PM or your review itself, and I'll put you on my 'no spoilers' list. If I space-out and send you a sneak-peek that you don't want, you can always just delete it. I promise I won't get my feelings hurt. ;P)**

 **This is all well and good, I guess, but a game has to have a winner, right? ;D**

 **So here's the endgame: when the story is finished, I'll look over all my reviews and pick my favorite one. The person who left that review will win the game and be awarded a special prize—he or she will get to pick any one scene from the story, and I will rewrite that scene from the viewpoint of another character. The winner may choose any character they wish, as long as this character was present in the scene. Meaning the winner could pick the scene in 'Recondite' where WordGirl is getting her psychology lesson and say, "I want to see that scene from Doctor Two-Brains' point of view," but they couldn't pick the scene in 'Anagnorisis' where Tobey's mom is driving him to school and say, "I want that scene from Huggy's POV!" XP After it's finished, I will publish this rewritten scene as a bonus chapter so that everyone who wants to can see how the situation looked from another perspective. :)**

 **As I said before, if this doesn't sound like fun to you, please don't feel any pressure to participate. This is just a little experiment that I want to try out for fun. :) If you _do_ participate, let me know what you think of this idea and the experience you're having with it. Is it fun? Arbitrary? Annoying? Does it make you want to leave in-depth reviews, or does it make you want to NOT review out of spite? :| Thanks as always to anyone who reviews, whether you're playing the game or not! I _love_ hearing your thoughts, regardless of how long or short they are! X3**


	10. Obnubilate

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Showdown At The Secret Spaceship Hideout,' 'Go Gadget Go,' and 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.**_ '

 **Foreword:**

 **I realize this is kind of a weird thing to bring up in a fanfic, but I'm too stoked to care! X) So, for the Wednesday night service at my church, my senior pastor's brother did a special guest sermon on healing, and after service was over, he stayed to pray over people with physical ailments. Well, a friend of my mom's, who came to service that night in a _wheelchair_ , went up for prayer and got instantly, miraculously healed! XD I know a lot of people probably won't believe me, and obviously I can't prove it. All I know is that I saw a video someone recorded on their phone of this guy running and jumping in the halls right after he was prayed for. God is so good, you guys! Some of you may not know it, but He is! :3**

 ***pants ecstatically* Anyway, since I'm SOOOO stinkin' happy about this (and also since I'm antsy to get past this rough part of the story), I'm gonna post _two_ chapters this week! X) That means I'll post the next chapter on Monday, then another on Friday, and after that resume my normal schedule. You can thank God, my Pastor's brother, and my mom's friend for that little advance, dear readers. ;P**

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Obnubilate [ob- **noo** -b _uh_ -leyt] – to cloud over; becloud; obscure.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Princess Becky knelt in a field of pink and purple flowers swaying in a gentle breeze. The sun was high in the clear blue sky, and the crisp morning air smelled of dew and springtime. Everything was perfect.

Closing her eyes and drinking in the feeling of soft petals against her skin, she murmured to the faithful horse lying beside her, "Dear Ponyface, could this world be any more wonderful? Why, I don't think _anything_ could spoil this moment."

Without warning a cold fog blocked out the warmth of the sun and her bright, beautiful world went dark. Thunder rumbled. Lighting tore through the sky. A massive smoky cloud took form just overhead. Becky held up her hands to shield her eyes from the whipping wind, and her heart sank with despair as a sinister cackle filled the once tranquil air. Looking up at the source of the terrible voice, she fearfully exclaimed, "Count Tobey!"

The golden-haired, blue-skinned villain stood in a flowing purple robe atop the raging storm cloud, guiding it with a helm wheel and laughing maniacally. He stopped at last, only to point down at the helpless girl and vindictively bellow, "Cower before me, Princess Becky! For I know your secret!"

She gasped. "No! It can't be!"

"Oh, but it can! And unless you do as I say, I shall reveal it to the world! Life as you know it will _end!_ Your perfect world will be _shattered!_ Everyone you ever loved will hate you, and there will be no returning!"

"No," she called out, trembling and pressing her hands together before her face. "Please, have mercy! I will do anything!"

"Indeed you will!" Count Tobey shouted with an evil grin. "And you will begin by helping me to steal all the happiness in the land! AHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"NOOOOOOOOO—"

« ... »

"—OOOOOOOOOO!"

Becky shrieked, bolting upright in her bed.

Wide-eyed and gasping for breath, she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and pressed a hand against her pounding heart.

 _Calm down,_ _Becky,_ she told herself. _It was just a dream._

But it _wasn't_ just a dream. A sinking feeling rotted in the pit of her stomach as she was once more confronted with the horrific reality of what had happened yesterday. Right when it looked like things were changing for the better… right when she was starting to think that Tobey might never be a danger to her or the city again… _this_.

To think that she had actually been starting to warm up to him. To think she believed she could actually change him. How foolish. Tobey hadn't changed at all for the better, and now thanks to him, _her_ life was about to change for the worse.

A concerned chitter sounded from her bedside, and she turned to see the worried countenance of her faithful sidekick.

"Oh, Huggy," she sniffled, burying her face in her hands. "What am I gonna do?"

She had filled him in yesterday evening on what had happened, after the shock had settled a little and he'd grown deeply frightened by her unusual behavior. For a while he had tried to comfort her, but to no avail, and since yesterday evening he had resigned himself to just staying by her side.

Without a sound he hopped up on the bed and wrapped his arms around her, kind and wise enough to know that there was no answer to her question that would help her right now. She wished she could show more gratitude for his concern, but at the moment she was terrified, devastated, and completely inconsolable. She hadn't felt so trapped since Tobey had locked her inside a giant battle mech and dragged her all over the world with him. Somehow _this_ situation seemed even more hopeless... because there was no getting out of it. There was no robot that she could destroy or remote that she could smash to erase Tobey's knowledge and proof that she was WordGirl. It was over. She'd won all the battles, but he had won the war.

The sound of someone loudly clearing his throat cut into the somber mood, gingerly announcing, "Well, so starts what promises to be a very… interesting day for our heroine."

"Seriously? _That's_ all you have to say?" Becky grumbled, glaring up at nothing. "Where were you yesterday? I really could've used your help!"

"Sorry. I was stunned silent."

Becky sighed. "Well, can't you do something _now_? Like, make Tobey forget who I am, or… turn back time or something?"

"I'm the Narrator, not the writer."

"Well, can the _writer_ do something?"

"Let me check…" A moment of silence passed. "She said no."

Becky groaned and reluctantly climbed out of bed.

 _Why does the writer hate me?_ she grumbled to herself, but thought better of saying it out loud.

Downstairs, her sullen mood was met with an almost insultingly chipper one.

"Boy, that was some ice-cream sandwich, eh, Hon?" commented her dad as he flipped pancakes on the stove.

"Was it _ever!_ " Mom replied, pouring two cups of coffee. "I've never even _heard_ of some of the flavors they used! Too bad it got stolen by Chuck at the end."

Becky slumped into a seat at the table next to TJ, and Bob slipped quietly into the empty seat on her other side.

"Morning, Becky," Dad called out mid-flip.

"Morning," Becky muttered dejectedly.

"Becky, guess what," TJ said excitedly, fawning over an envelope in his hand that his sister had only just noticed. "WordGirl responded to the letter I sent her last week about her favorite book! You'll never guess what it is!"

"What is it?" Becky moaned, too depressed to get any pleasure out of blindsiding TJ by 'guessing' correctly.

"It's Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum!" the nine-year-old announced happily. He paused to heave a swooning sigh and dreamily added, "WordGirl _licked_ this."

"That's great, TJ," Becky said listlessly, eying the jug of milk on the table but lacking the motivation or appetite to serve herself some.

Bob gave a muffled squeal of pity, and poured the milk for her. He must have intuited what a stinging irony it was to be reminded of her favorite book under the circumstances. Her rosy memory of the last time she read it had been tainted by the shattering of her every hope. The unrivaled joy that once filled her heart at the very thought of her dearly beloved story was just one more thing Tobey had stolen from her.

The phone rang, and Mom announced that she would get it before shuffling into the living room. Meanwhile Dad set a plate full of steaming, syrup-smothered flapjacks in front of his daughter and gently commented, "Becky, is it just me, or do you seem a little down today?"

"I'm fine," she automatically responded, taking a drink of her milk.

"Becky, it's for you," Mom announced with a smile, holding her hand over the receiver. "It's Tobey."

Becky's eyes flew open, and she almost choked on her milk. Instead she spewed it all over TJ.

"T-T-Tobey? Did you say Tobey?" she exclaimed, practically trembling.

"EWWWW!" TJ shouted, standing from the table and stomping off toward the stairs. "Now I've got Becky's spit all over me!"

Mom's brow furrowed with obvious concern. "Becky, are you okay?"

"What? N-No, I'm okay! Totally okay," Becky insisted. "Why would you think I wasn't okay? It's not like something earth-shattering happened yesterday involving Tobey. I mean, how weird would _that_ be, right?"

She gave a weak laugh and her parents both blinked at her, looking confused and unconvinced. Forcing a grin, she reluctantly rose from her seat and dragged her feet across the large, exposed space leading into the living room, and there she took the phone from her mother with a trembling hand. She was starting to wonder if the dream she'd had was prophetic.

"Hello?" she whimpered, watching nervously as her mom returned to the kitchen. How she wished there was some kind of wall there to hide her.

"Becky," Tobey greeted in a voice so cheerful it was grating, "How is life favoring you on this delightful morning?"

Becky tensed indignantly at his nerve. Looking up, she saw that her parents were still staring at her from the next room. Bob was at the table fidgeting worse than he did when there was a cake in the oven, and he looked like he could've bounded over to listen in on the conversation if it wouldn't have been terribly conspicuous. Steeling her nerves, she turned her back to everyone and dryly muttered, "Fine."

Tobey gave an excited yelp, then giddily exclaimed, "Can you believe it, WordGirl? You and I are actually talking on the telephone!"

Becky cringed, hoping there hadn't been anyone in the room with him when he'd said that. "Yeah… Super."

Tobey heaved a deep, annoying sigh, then said, "Oh, you've no idea what a relief it is to finally know your identity! This will make things so much easier, don't you think?"

It took all of Becky's willpower not to crush the phone in her trembling grip. She couldn't tell whether she was more angry or scared. Breathing out slowly, she muttered in just above a whisper, "Easier?"

"Well, now I don't have to jump through hoops in order to get your attention. I know where you live, I have your phone number… we even go to the same school! We can see each other almost every day!"

Becky felt her life being hammered deeper and deeper into the ground with each item Tobey listed from his arsenal of ways to torment her. She just about fainted when he casually threw in at the end, "And since I know who you are, there's no need to dance around the truth anymore."

Becky swallowed, clutching at the fabric of her shirt above her pounding heart. What did he mean by _that?_ Was he planning on telling the whole _world_ she was WordGirl? Unable to restrain her curiosity any longer, she gingerly murmured, careful to speak at a volume that wouldn't be heard from the kitchen, "Um, Tobey… have you… told anyone else about this?"

"Why would I do _that?_ " Tobey countered flippantly.

 _S_ _o that's how it_ _'s going to be_ _,_ she thought with a woeful breath. He was going to taunt her as well as take advantage of her. She probably wouldn't find out who else he'd shared her secret with until it was far too late to do anything about it… Then again, it was pretty much already too late for her to do anything.

"So anyway," Tobey prattled on as though this were the most casual conversation they'd ever had—as though he didn't have her cowering helplessly in the palm of his hand. "I was thinking today at lunch you and I could sit jux—juxta—oh, what _is_ that word?"

Becky grit her teeth. His ignorance was so blatantly insincere it was sickening. Even so, she supposed there wasn't any harm in doing what she always did… Although being obliged to do it in the current situation still irked her.

"Juxtaposed," she said, her voice emotionless. "It means close together or side-by-side."

"Oh, that's right, of course," Tobey chuckled. "So, what do you say we sit _juxtaposed_ at lunch today?"

Becky frowned, suddenly wishing she'd included in her definition the detail that juxtaposition was usually used for the purpose of contrasting _differences_. Where did he get the gall to ask her that so nonchalantly, as though she had a choice?

"Sure," she managed with some effort, swallowing her pride among other things before adding, "That sounds… great."

"You're wonderful," Tobey murmured dreamily, then right away corrected, "I mean, _that's_ wonderful. I'll see you there."

He hung up, and Becky dropped the phone. She stood there frozen, eyes wide open, while a dial tone complained from the forgotten handset laying on the floor. Her heart thumped in her chest, and a nervous gasp caught in her throat.

By now she'd pretty much gotten used to Tobey's harebrained flirting, but she had only ever received it as WordGirl. Something about hearing him say that she, as Becky Botsford, was _wonderful_ …

She was reminded of when Tobey had tried to expose her identity through 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot'—the one other time when something like this had happened. While illustrating the similarities between WordGirl and Becky's appearances, Tobey had said they both had 'the same sparkling smile.' The unpleasant feeling that racked through her now was unmistakably the same one she had experienced back then, though now with far greater intensity. It was a bizarre, disturbing feeling completely different from the annoyance and mild disgust that she usually felt when Tobey flirted with WordGirl.

Why was that? Why did it bother her so much more when Tobey expressed his affections to her true self rather than her false persona? Was it simply because it meant that he knew her secret? That he possessed something precious which he could ransom against her?

Shaking her head violently to banish these thoughts, Becky clenched her fists and breathed deeply. She couldn't let Tobey get the better of her like this. She would only make things worse for herself if she brooded over the how and why of every awful emotion that sprang up from this equally awful situation. No matter how bad or hopeless things seemed, she needed to put forth an impression of strength. Maybe if she was lucky she might convince Tobey that he couldn't push her around just because he knew her secret identity.

Drawing a determined breath, she once more crossed the wide open space between the living room and the kitchen, and immediately met with the worried stares of her sidekick and both her parents.

"Sweetheart, are you _sure_ you're all right?" Dad asked, walking past her and returning the phone to its cradle.

"Of course I'm sure," Becky replied, grabbing her backpack from the floor by the refrigerator and slinging it over her shoulders.

"You know, honey," Mom chimed in, "If there's something— _anything_ that's troubling you… you can tell us."

Becky hesitated. She suddenly remembered her conversation with Violet not too long ago… about telling her family her secret. If she had to tell them at some point anyway, maybe now was the time. She hated the thought of dropping that kind of bombshell on them right in the middle of such a worrisome crisis, but she would certainly rather they learn the truth from her than from Tobey.

She looked to a somber Bob for confirmation, and he gave a silent nod.

Heart pounding, she breathed deep and spoke in a soft, wavering voice. "Actually, there _is_ something I want to tell you."

She paused, staring at the floor whilst trying to work up her courage. She glanced up, almost hoping that her parents had been distracted by something and forgotten their concern. Instead she saw that she had their rapt attention.

Becky swallowed hard and closed her eyes, forcing the words past a lump in her throat the size of a golf ball. "You see… The truth is… I'm Wor—"

"Becky, could you get any grosser?" TJ's voice blasted from the stairs, and he stomped into the room running a towel all over his face and hair. "This is the first time in my life I've ever been sorry I don't have time to shower before school."

Mom shot him an annoyed frown and said, "TJ, you've gone to school covered in _dirt_ before; I don't think a little milk will kill you."

"Not milk, sister spit," TJ argued. "You can't compare dirt with sister spit!"

Bob folded his arms and growled resentfully, glaring eyes fixed on TJ as the boy grabbed his letter from the kitchen table and skulked off.

Mom heaved an exasperated sigh and turned back to her daughter. "You were saying, Dear?"

Becky swallowed, gripping tightly the straps of her backpack as her heart made the journey from her throat down into her stomach. Thanks to TJ she had missed her chance, and her hard-won courage had abandoned her.

"Um," she mumbled, forcing a smile and a tone that she hoped was soothing. "I was just going to say that I'm wor—ried about the score I'll get on my art assignment… I haven't had a chance to work on it all week, so I kind of threw it together last-minute."

"Oh," said her mom, looking a little skeptical.

"Well, that's nothing to fret over," Dad assured. "As long as you did your best, it doesn't matter if it didn't turn out quite the way you wanted."

Becky exhaled sharply. She _had_ tried her best. She had tried harder for Tobey than she'd ever tried for anything, and what good had it done? Things not only didn't turn out quite the way she wanted, they turned for the worst. Her efforts had yielded nothing, and now the villain she sought to reform was about to destroy her life. That was how Tobey repaid her for trying to help him.

 _You're wrong, Dad,_ she despaired, reigning in her feelings as much as she could. _It definitely matters._

"Well, I'd better get going," she said, rushing out the front door and heading for the bus stop.

This was going to be the worst school day ever.

« ... »

 _And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart._

— _Galatians 6:9_

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Becky's Nightmare_ _—_ Hopefully I didn't have so much fun making this Becky-ishly ridiculous that I undercut just how freaked out she is about all this. The nightmare is a parallel reference to Becky's favorite TV show, 'The Pretty Princess  & Magic Pony Power Hour.' It's featured in in multiple episodes, but the one I'm specifically referring to is 'Showdown At The Secret Spaceship Hideout.' That's the only episode I know of that showed Count Cloudy approaching on a giant storm cloud and steering it with a helm wheel, and that imagery combined with Tobey was just too hilarious for me to pass up. XP**

 ** _-Giant Battle Mech—_ The mention of Tobey locking Becky inside a giant battle mech and dragging her all over the world with him happened in 'Go Gadget Go,' which is one of the few WordGirl episodes that actually disturbs me just a bit. The fact that Tobey _forced_ her to do something against her will with absolutely no reservations or remorse actually made me feel like I hated him a little, and after the episode was over I had to take a step back and remind myself of why I love him. As much as that episode frustrates me, though, I'm glad it exists, because it illuminates a dark part of Tobey's psyche that I definitely want to address.**

 **- _Breaking the 14_ _th_ _Wall_ _—_ I laughed so hard when the Narrator asked me if I would change the story. XP I know self-inserting is generally frowned upon in fiction, but I figured if there was one fandom where I could get away with it, it was this one. ;P I wondered if maybe I was going a little too far even for WordGirl, but it just came out so hilarious, I couldn't resist. X)**

 **- _Aren't We Forgetting Something?_ _—_ I considered that, since there was a robot attack on the City yesterday, maybe Becky's parents shouldn't be just happily chatting about their outing the next day. A conversation about the robot attack wasn't as conducive to the scene, though, so I decided once more to fall on the acceptable convenience of the fandom. It could be that their ice cream event was located across town from where Tobey's robot attacked, or it could be that everyone in this town is so used to these sorts of shenanigans that such things are old news by the next day. However you want to headcanon it away is fine by me. :)**

 **- _More Phone Woes_ _—_ Y'all can seriously go ahead and laugh at my self-inflicted pain, but… phones hate me in this story! DX I know I must have seen an episode that shows where the Botsfords' home phone is located, but alas, I couldn't think of one. :( My sister mentioned 'A Vote for Becky,' but that one wasn't conclusive since in that episode they were campaigning and had like 4 phones set up all at once. #_# Since those phones were set up in the living room, though, I figured it made sense for that to be where the main phone is located. And since Becky's living room and kitchen are sort of united in one big open space, it made for an interesting scene where her parents could watch her during her conversation with Tobey. :P If anyone knows of a different episode that shows more definitely where the Botsfords have their phone set up, do let me know. :)**

 **- _Identity C_ _risis_ _—_ I hope you guys are comfortable, because this one will take a while. 8) It's apparent to anyone who pays attention to Becky's character throughout the show that she has a bit of an identity complex. Even though she _is_ WordGirl, you can tell that there's a pronounced degree of separation between them in her mind. She's always wishing for recognition as herself rather than as WordGirl, and in certain episodes she even seems _jealous_ of all the attention WordGirl gets. That being said, it was my brilliant little brother who noticed a much more elusive detail pertaining to this personal struggle. In 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot,' when Tobey starts to swoon over the similarities he's noticed between Becky and WordGirl, Becky's eyes go wide and she gets this super-shocked look on her face for a second right before he says, "I realize I've said too much." My bro noted that this reaction doesn't make sense, since she's heard such fawning from Tobey many times before… UNLESS it's because she's never heard it as BECKY before. o.0 To Becky, WordGirl is more of an occupation than an identity. She doesn't see WordGirl as who she truly is, and as such, Tobey's flirts and unintentional compliments have never felt like they were really directed at _her._ Now that he's bypassing WordGirl and passing his affections straight to Becky, the legitimacy of his crush on her is actually sinking in. o_O I'm sure it doesn't help that, while WordGirl probably has her fair share of swooning fanboys, she as Becky Botsford has never been on the receiving end of such feelings before. It would be an emotional trip even if the person on the giving end _wasn't_ a long-time nemesis of hers who just exposed her secret identity. ;)**

 ** _-_ _Theme Song: "_ _These Times_ _" by_ _Safetysuit_ _—_ This is a pretty good representation of what Becky is feeling, though perhaps with a little more hope than she actually has right now. :( Poor Becky… Hang in there, Girl! I'm working on it, I promise!**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Don't Give Up_ _" by_ _Michael W. Smith_ _—_ This is basically my response to WordGirl's 'Why do you hate me?' question. Just swap out 'Andrea' for 'Becky.' :P The only part that doesn't quite work is the line about her friends, but (WARNING FOR THE EXTREMELY SPOILER-CONSCIOUS) even _that_ bit could've potentially worked if I'd held back the song until the next chapter. _*hint, hint*_ ;D**


	11. Snafu

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'Gift Pony.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 ***chuckles evilly* I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for a looooooong time. And I've gotta say, it was worth the wait. XP I feel kinda bad for Becky, though.**

 **Since I can't reply to anonymous reviews, I'd like to thank everyone, both now and in the future, who has anonymously reviewed my story! I really wish that I could thank all of you personally, and _some_ of you really need to get accounts so that I can consider your awesome reviews for my game. *coughOleanderOwlcough* Regardless, though, I wanted to make sure _everyone_ reviewing knows how grateful I am for all the support. You guys are keeping my enthusiasm for this project sky-high! Thanks! X)**

 **Oh, and just for the record, I've made a small edit to the beginning of chapter 4. It's so minor that most people probably wouldn't even notice the difference if they read it, but I thought I should mention it anyway since it connects to a later development.**

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Snafu [sna- **foo** , **snaf** -oo] – a badly confused or ridiculously muddled situation.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Becky's mind was wroth with anxious uncertainty as she stepped off the bus. Thank goodness Tobey's mother drove him to school, but that wouldn't shield her any longer. She was starting to wish she'd borrowed Violet's Lexonite broach and stayed home sick.

The logical side of her brain finally started to turn its wheels when the ominous robot-themed playground came into view, and she began thinking about how she should approach this problem. The first thing she needed to do was tell Scoops and Violet what had happened. Then she would at least have backup. Once that thought took form, however, the natural conclusion to follow was that she needed to make sure Tobey _didn't_ find out that her two best friends were privy to her secret. It would be safer for them if Tobey thought he was the only person who knew, which meant that she needed to find them before—

" _There_ you are!"

Becky froze, and her heart sank. Her plan wasn't even fully formed and it was already going awry.

She took a steadying breath, then looked up to see Tobey running toward her, arms strapped around a large stack of books. Once he reached her he fell in step at her side, taking a deep breath and beaming with excitement.

"My, what a beautiful day! I feel as if I could fly!" He paused to give her a suggestive glance before adding, "Although, perhaps under the circumstances…"

Becky frowned and erected herself, willing an air of confidence and nonchalance into her gait as she continued toward the school. He was crazy if he thought she was going to fall into the role of a jetpack and obediently ferry him around town. Even as she thought that, however, she knew she could never prioritize her dignity over her security.

Clearing her throat, she dryly asked, "So how did you manage to get off the hook for that 'brilliant scheme' of yours yesterday?"

Tobey replied, sounding utterly unconcerned, "I didn't. Mother doubled my chores for the next two months, even on my birthday… It was _so_ worth it!"

His birthday. Becky remembered the conversation between her mom and Mrs. McCallister which had spurred her to take on the challenge of straightening out her least favorite classmate/villain. His birthday had been her tentative deadline because it marked when he would be old enough to go to jail for serious crimes.

Not that it mattered anymore. She was through trying to change him into something he _clearly_ wasn't. Jail would probably do him more good than _she_ ever could. Maybe it would even get him to leave her alone—though she doubted it would help her chances that he wouldn't start blabbing her secret identity to everyone within earshot.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

For the next few hours, Tobey had Becky jumping at shadows. Anytime he spoke to anyone she felt her muscles tensing as she wondered if he was going to blow her cover. When he raised his hand in Miss Davis's class, she almost tackled him on pure reflex.

For all her worrying, though, Tobey had yet to do anything even subtly threatening. He called her Becky consistently, and never even _mentioned_ WordGirl. The few times he was asked about his robot attack yesterday he brushed it off as something he'd done out of boredom. He didn't even mention Becky's visit on the day in question.

Becky was surprised, but she knew better than to let her guard down. He was probably just biding his time—waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Or maybe he intended to keep the secret as leverage to coerce her into doing whatever he wanted. She would find out as soon as he took the notion to make his first demand. It was only a matter of time, and the suspense was killing her.

At the moment, he seemed more interested in tailing her than exposing or exploiting her. One would've thought they were joined at the hip for how close he stuck to her side, and by third period they had begun to draw the curious stares of other students. Becky shrank under their scrutiny, wishing she could disappear.

The lunch bell rang, and she still hadn't managed to shake Tobey long enough to talk to her friends away from prying ears. He hadn't been so bold as to wait for her outside the girls' bathroom, but she momentarily found him parked outside the lunchroom. Unfortunately Scoops and Violet were already inside, and walking toward them.

"Hey, Becky," Violet greeted with a smile, adding a bit more darkly, "Hi… Tobey."

"What was with that robot attack yesterday?" Scoops asked, mincing no words. "I thought you and WordGirl were finally getting along."

Tobey nodded. "Oh, we are. Swimmingly. Why, these past two days she's… scarcely left my side."

He blushed as he said this, and Becky shuddered in disgust, biting her tongue.

"Swimmingly?" murmured Violet. "I thought you didn't like athletic stuff."

Tobey looked expectantly at Becky, and she shot him an annoyed glance.

"Swimmingly means effortlessly or with great success," she sighed, reigning in her frustration. "Tobey is saying that he and WordGirl are getting along really… _really_ well."

"I see," Violet said, regarding Tobey with a wilting stare. "I can't imagine she was too happy about that attack, though."

"Oh, there's no need to worry your spacey little head, Lavender," Tobey assured with a shake of his head. "The bond between WordGirl and I is far too strong to be shaken by a little harmless fun. Trust me, she was completely understanding."

"No I WASN'T!" Becky blasted without thinking, then gasped and covered her mouth.

 _Oh… no._

What had she done? Everyone close enough to have heard already knew she was WordGirl, but in the tension of the moment she'd forgotten for a second that they didn't all _know_ that they all knew.

"You mean _WordGirl_ most likely wasn't," Tobey interjected before she had the chance to correct herself.

Scoops burst into sheepish laughter. "What are you saying, Tobey? You're not suggesting Becky is WordGirl, are you?"

"Oh, what an idea! Becky makes one senseless comment and all of a sudden she's WordGirl. _That_ makes all the sense in the world," Tobey exclaimed, with a tone of sarcasm that was dangerously easy to miss.

"But that's impossible," Scoops argued. "I say stuff like that all the time, and _I'm_ certainly not WordGirl. I mean, could you imagine if WordGirl's secret identity was a reporter who's trying to _expose_ her secret identity? How dumb would she have to be?"

Tobey fixed an angry frown on Scoops. "Are you making fun of WordGirl?"

"What? No!" Scoops defended, clearly caught off guard. "I'm just saying that there's no way she could possibly be Becky, I mean… look at her!"

"Are you saying Becky isn't pretty?!"

Scoops blinked, looking baffled. "Huh?"

By now the scene had drawn more than a few spectators, and their number doubled when Tobey irritably yelled, "For your information, Becky is every _bit_ as beautiful as WordGirl!"

The anger suddenly fell from his face, replaced by realization. "Not that I'm saying they look alike, since they _c_ _learly_ don't. After all, she doesn't even have—she's got completely different—Words can't describe how dissimilar they are!"

" _That's_ for sure," the Narrator unhelpfully interjected.

At that moment Becky could have been passed off as a statue and put on display in a museum with the title, 'Mortified Young Girl.' If her legs hadn't been locked in place, she probably would've collapsed.

Violet came up beside her and gingerly asked, "Um, Becky… what's going on?"

Becky unfroze and threw herself on her friend, dramatically entreating, "Violet, if I die from shock, will you please tell my family I was WordGirl?"

Behind her, the storm raged on.

"Look, I didn't say she wasn't WordGirl—I mean wasn't pretty."

"Stop playing mind games, you nosy git!"

Becky shuddered, reluctantly accepting just how hopeless the situation was. If it got any further out of hand Scoops and Tobey's efforts to _keep_ her secret would have her trying to convince the whole student body she wasn't WordGirl.

She took a deep breath, and forced herself to march into the fray.

"Tobey, come," she said, grabbing him firmly by the ear and dragging him toward the door. She ignored his surprised shrieks of protest and called out behind her without slowing down, "Violet, Scoops, follow!"

Her two friends unquestioningly obeyed, and within moments she had herded the trio out into the hallway. She released Tobey's ear and cautiously looked around. Luck was smiling on her for once. The halls were deserted.

Wasting no time, she zipped off in a streak of light, and seconds later deposited her three companions on the school's roof. The three of them all gaped at her in bewildered shock, and before anyone including herself could second-guess her, she blurted out, "Everyone here already knows I'm WordGirl."

Scoops and Violet's eyes bulged, and Tobey's mouth fell open. All three of them simultaneously shouted, "What?"

"Wait, since when do _these two_ know?" Tobey asked in an accusatory tone, pointing childishly at Scoops and Violet.

"They've known for a while," Becky said, feeling suddenly defensive. "What's the problem?"

"What's the problem?" Tobey blasted, clenching his fists. "That's so unfair! I've been trying to discover your identity for _years!_ Why did a couple of common school children get to find out before _me_?"

Becky frowned harshly and clenched her fists at her sides. She meant to say that they had both found out by accident, but what came out of her mouth was a much more defiant, "They're my friends, Tobey. _Deal_ with it."

Tobey crossed his arms, glared Becky down for a short moment, then stormed off. He grumbled all the way to the fire escape and shot Scoops one last heated glare before he clambered down and out of sight, leaving Becky alone with her friends at last. Pity the circumstances were about as far from what she'd hoped for as Lexicon was from Earth.

Scoops and Violet slowly turned to face her, both wearing shocked, questioning expressions.

"He found out yesterday," she explained, cringing at the memory. "He sort of… dragged it out of me."

With that her defenses crumbled, and she turned away from them lest they see the broken look on her face.

"So…" Scoops murmured, his voice distant with shock, "What's he going to do?"

"I don't know!" Becky blasted. "He's probably going to brag about it to all the other villains, or… try to blackmail me into being his girlfriend or something."

"His… girlfriend?" Scoops drawled, completely clueless, and Becky sighed in frustration.

A hand rested tenderly on her shoulder, accompanied by Violet's soothing voice. "Try not to assume the worst, Becky. He may not use your identity against you at all. Just now he was trying to protect it the same as Scoops, remember?"

She had a point there, but Becky was hardly comforted.

"He probably just wants to hold onto his leverage so he can use it the way he wants," she said bitterly, crossing her arms and staring out at the horizon.

That had to be it. There was no way a villain like Tobey would go to so much trouble to acquire something he didn't intend to use.

« ... »

 _How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?_

— _Psalm 13:2_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _The Scene of Chaos_ _—_ This is a term that one of my sisters coined for a loud, messy, _hilarious_ misunderstanding involving a lot of people. :P There was one such scene in our first anime, and since then I've made a semi-conscious habit of trying to sneak one into every story I can. I think this is my first time successfully working one into a fanfic, though. Score! XD During one of my more productive brainstorming sessions with my siblings, the idea came up to have Tobey and Scoops get in an argument wherein they're both trying to keep the other from finding out she's WordGirl. I've got to say, though, it was surprisingly difficult to make this idea work. #_# I reached a point where I was about to scrap it for lack of believable ways to incite and exacerbate it, and then, in yet another super-productive brainstorm several weeks later, the answer finally came to us. I hope you guys found the final product as hysterical as _I_ did. XP**

 **- _"_ _Stop trying to play mind games, you nosy git!"_ _—_ Lol, I'm so glad my friend is reading me the UK version of Harry Potter. The vocabulary is really coming in handy for writing Tobey's dialogue. :P**

 **- _Violet's Lexonite_ _B_ _roach_ _—_ This is a reference to the episode 'Gift Pony.' Violet gave Becky a broach that she had made by hand out of polished minerals which turned out to be Lexonite, and consequently Becky was feeling sick throughout the episode.**

 **- _Bittersweet Success_ _—_ The impression I'm getting from reader response to the past couple chapters is that some people are getting increasingly frustrated with Tobey at this point in the story. I feel like this is both a good thing and a bad thing… good because it means I'm conveying Becky's feelings effectively, and bad because I'm completely killing all the warm fuzzy feels that I worked so hard to build up in the first plot arc. :( I feel pretty confident that the resolution I have planned for this conflict is emotionally satisfying… I just hope it's not too late in coming. *fidgets nervously***

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _War of Change_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ This is a pretty good representation of Becky's feelings right about now, though she doesn't _quite_ have the level of courage and will to fight back that the song describes. Lucky for Tobey. *-***

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Impossible_ _" by_ _Anberlin_ _—_ This was one of the first songs I connected to Becky and Tobey's relationship, and it remains one of my favorites. :) The viewpoint shifts back and forth between Becky and Tobey throughout, and the tone or meaning of each line can change depending on what point in the story you're thinking of when you listen to it. The song can actually spread across the whole story rather than connecting to a specific chapter, feeling, or plot arc, but I figured this chapter was a good middle ground to stick it on. I just love how the statement, "You're wearing me out, but I'm wearing you down," perfectly describes the push and pull of what's happening with _both_ of them at various points along the journey.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Dream Fighter_ _" by_ _Perfume_ _—_ This one, believe it or not, is a theme song for _Violet_. It's her encouragement to Becky—the hope she's trying to empart to her. And even if you put the situation aside, this song is just so _Violet_ , I can't get over it! X) You can find a version with English subtitles on Youtube if you search 'Perfume Dream Fighter eng-jap sub.'**


	12. Intenerate

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'Two-Brains Forgets.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **I went to see Ratchet & Clank last night, and I've gotta say… I was extremely disappointed. :( I wouldn't be surprised, considering Hollywood's penchant for ruining people's fond childhood memories, except for the fact that the guy who wrote the movie is the SAME GUY who wrote my favorite Ratchet & Clank games! The games that made me a Ratchet & Clank fan! He _knows_ what makes Ratchet  & Clank awesome, and yet… he somehow completely blew it. DX**

 ***sigh* Anyway, I shall cope with my heartfelt frustration by plunging back into fanfiction. Perhaps someday I'll attempt a rewrite of the R &C movie, but for now, I shall happily dive back into _this_ story. I've been excited to unveil this chapter for a long time, and I can't tell you guys how happy I am to finally have it published. :D**

* * *

Intenerate [in- **ten** - _uh_ -reyt] – to make soft or tender; soften.

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Dr. Two-Brains had been wrong. Tobey was a lost cause.

It had been almost a week since he'd forced Becky's secret out of her, and he had been merciless ever since. The day to day routine hadn't changed much from Monday—minus the egregious communication meltdown. Tobey still followed her around like a lost puppy, still took every opportunity to give her a good scare, and—as far as she knew—still had yet to divulge her secret to anyone.

But she should be happy about that, right? That was what Violet kept telling her. For Becky, though, all it meant was that Tobey had spent that much longer devising the perfect way to use her terror to his advantage, and that was hardly a comforting thought. She was so beside herself with anxiety that she was starting to wonder if she was losing her mind.

Come Friday, she was a nervous wreck. A battle with the Butcher right after school had served more to increase her stress than to lessen it, for she flew in wondering if he would call her by her real name as soon as she showed up. He hadn't, but it was little help.

When Becky finally got home that afternoon, she didn't know whether she should feel relieved or even more nervous. This had been the most stressful school week of her short life, and ironically the reason was because her worst fears _hadn't_ been realized.

 _"_ _Look on the bright side,"_ Scoops had said earlier today, _"_ _Tob_ _e_ _y_ _hasn't done anything with his robots since he found out your secret."_

That was one of the few times she had been tempted to use sarcasm on one of her friends. _Great,_ she'd wanted to say. _A whole five days robot-free. That was_ totally _worth compromising WordGirl's secret identity._

It was a silver lining to be thankful for, though, and she had said so… right before Tobey appeared at her side with a smile and a thinly veiled flirt.

Becky felt an unpleasant tremor at the memory, and accidentally dropped her backpack on the living room floor. The real kicker in all this was that the most disturbing element of the whole mess had been something she never expected—never even _considered_. She thought that, if anything, Tobey's crush would _subside_ once the allure and mystery of WordGirl was replaced with the sobering realization that she was no more than the unassuming plain Jane who had been his reluctant classmate since fifth grade.

She never could have guessed that, once Tobey had discovered who WordGirl really was, his bizarre infatuation would simply carry over to her secret and true identity. That surprised her, especially considering how TJ acted when _he_ found out who she was, back when Dr. Two-Brains had discovered her identity. The contrast between then and now made her wish like crazy that the amnesia ray which had solved the problem last time was still around to come to her rescue again. She had yet to get used to the unnerving frisson that shot up her spine whenever Tobey let slip an oddly-timed comment about her intelligence, attractiveness, or general wonderfulness.

She reached down to pick up her backpack, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had no idea what Tobey had planned for this weekend, but at least she wouldn't have to see him for a couple of days… probably.

"Welcome home, kids," Dad greeted. "Don't get too settled in just yet. We're having company this afternoon."

"Great," said Becky in a weak attempt to sound enthusiastic.

"Who's coming over?" TJ inquired.

Mom glanced over her shoulder and happily answered, "The McCallisters."

Becky almost fainted from shock. She honestly wished she had.

"What?" she exclaimed, giving full vent to her misgivings. " _Tobey's_ coming over?!"

Her parents both stared at her and blinked in unison.

"Um," Dad murmured, sounding confused. "Yes?"

"What's with you lately, Becky?" Mom asked worriedly. "I thought you and Tobey were starting to get along."

"Yeah, so did _I_ ," Becky grumbled through her teeth, tightening her grip on her backpack to steady her trembling hands.

Her mother abandoned her task at the counter and knelt in front of her daughter, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Honey… I know Tobey can be frustrating, but… I hope you can find it in your heart to be nice to him anyway. He might _act_ aloof and detached, but honestly, I think he might just be lonely."

Becky almost scoffed. Tobey, lonely? What a joke.

"What's a 'loof?'" TJ asked. "Is that like, what you call a cocky nerd who thinks he's better than everyone else?"

"Basically," Becky sighed. "Aloof is a word you use to describe a person who is indifferent, disinterested, or emotionally distant from other people."

 _…_ _which is an understatement in Tobey's case,_ she almost added.

"Look, Sweetheart," her mom entreated in a soft, maternal tone, moving her hand from Becky's shoulder to her cheek. "I don't expect much. Just… try, okay? For me?"

Becky grimaced, remembering for the hundredth time the conversation she'd overheard two months ago, and the advice her mother had given Mrs. McCallister. _"You're doing your best for Tobey,"_ she'd said. _"Have faith in your son."_

A rush of admiration and disappointment quivered in Becky's worn-out heart. If only she could trade places with her mother. Everyone would be better off if Mrs. Botsford was the one handling this situation. The woman was so strong, so wise… _She_ would know what to do about Tobey. _She_ would have the mental and emotional fortitude to bear up under this pressure and emerge triumphant. And _she_ probably wouldn't be so terrified of how her family would receive the truth about who she was that she would risk letting them find out from a villain rather than from her.

Releasing a flustered exhale, Becky forced a smile. "I'll try, Mom."

Her mother beamed and gave her a quick hug. "That's my girl!"

The doorbell rang, and Becky's breath caught in her throat.

"Oh! Looks like they're here," Mom said, trotting happily off.

Becky's mind raced nervously as she listened to the sound of the door opening and the subsequent cordial greetings of her mother and Claire McCallister. Crazy ideas flitted through her mind. Should she run for it? _Fly_ for it? Should she play hookey as WordGirl? Or lock herself in her room as Becky with some outlandish excuse? Before she could settle her thoughts enough to think of a _sensible_ plan that didn't involve breaking her promise to her mother, she heard Tobey's voice from what couldn't have been more than a couple of inches behind her.

"So good to see you again, Becky."

She spun around and backed away in the same movement, and there he was, standing erect and poised with his hand extended politely to her—the picture of innocence. Too bad he didn't have a fake halo to go with his fake smile and fake accent.

"Charmed," she grunted, refusing to shake his hand.

"Why don't you kids go on upstairs and play, huh?" Becky's dad suggested. "We'll call you down when it's time to eat."

Becky dragged her feet as slowly as possible up the stairs after Tobey and TJ, still furiously trying to think of what she should do. She wanted to fulfill her promise to her mother, she really did… but somehow she knew that the nicest thing she could do for Tobey in her current state was to get away from him.

No sooner had they hit the second floor, she headed for her room, briskly announcing, "Well, I'll see you guys later. I have a lot of homework to catch up on."

It wasn't even a lie. She'd been so overwrought with worry this week, she had barely even _started_ on her homework.

Before she could make her getaway, Tobey smiled in excitement and said, "Ooh! I can help you!"

"That's— _really_ not necessary," Becky said, trying to sound casual.

"Nonsense, Becky," Tobey countered with a wave. "My dignity as a gentleman would be compromised if I didn't offer my services to a maiden in need."

"But I really don't _need_ any—"

"Shall we?"

He brazenly ignored her and set off toward her room, leaving her staring after him and worrying at her lip. In a fit of desperation she grabbed TJ before he could make off for his own room and suggested, "Hey, TJ, why don't you come hang out in my room with us?"

"You _want_ me to come play in your room?" TJ asked suspiciously.

"Well, I don't want to leave you all by yourself," Becky lied with a weak chuckle. "You can play with my unicorns."

"Awesome! Last one to your room is a rotten egg!"

He raced after Tobey, and Becky cringed apprehensively as she once more followed them. Had she just gambled the fate of her precious unicorn figures in a desperate effort to keep from being alone with Tobey? Perhaps she _was_ losing her mind.

« ... »

Becky picked up the stack of homework papers on her desk and sat down on her bed, breathing out in a weak effort to calm her nerves. "Okay, so I'm already finished with Language Arts…"

"Naturally," Tobey said, sitting down right next to her.

She tensed and swallowed. "Right." As subtly as possible she scooted over a bit. "So the subjects I have left are Science and—"

She paused and shuddered when Tobey mimicked her movement so that he was once more flush against her side.

"—math."

"Well, this is your lucky day," Tobey asserted, his face far too close for comfort. "Those subjects are my specialty. Let's see, shall we?"

He reached over and grasped the papers she was holding, brushing her fingers as he did so, and she instinctively yanked her hand away, barely able to hold in a mortified yelp.

"Oh, Becky, this is child's play," he berated, oblivious to her woes. "I wouldn't have thought a capable girl like you needed help with _this_ level of academics."

"I _don't_ need help," she muttered through her teeth, shooting him a warning frown.

"Becky has a hard time with anything school-related that doesn't involve words," TJ offered, waving Angelface and Tickleshine around in the air like they were flying.

"Ah," Tobey acknowledged, "Well _that_ makes sense."

"Okay! Math!" Becky snatched the paper from Tobey and loudly read the first problem. "'A young woman pays her personal tutor $9 an hour on weekdays and $13 an hour on weekends. If he spends 3 hours with her on Thursday, 4 hours on Friday, and 90 minutes on Saturday, what has he earned?'"

"Her heart," Tobey murmured, so faintly that she wondered if she'd heard him right, and so amorously that she felt certain she must have.

"Wait, _what_ did you say?" she snapped, standing to her feet and frowning down at him.

"Nothing," Tobey said, staring off to the side with a suspicious grin.

Becky huffed and crossed her arms. She'd had just about enough of this nonsense. "No," she argued, "you definitely said _something_."

"Define 'something,'" Tobey said, mischievously eying the ceiling.

"Wha—?" Becky fumbled, so high-strung and off-guard that she couldn't catch her bearings to explain such a simple word. "Oh come on, Tobey, you know what 'something' means! Something is— _something_! Something is— _not_ nothing!"

"Yeesh, Becky, what are _you_ so worked up about?" TJ asked, regarding her with a childish frown.

"Oh, don't mind her," Tobey dismissed in a frustratingly placid tone. "She's just upset because she doesn't know what 'something' means."

"Seriously, Becky?" TJ jabbed. "That's like, one of the easiest words there is."

"Now, don't be too hard on her," Tobey said. "It's not like she's WordGirl."

Becky shot him a livid glance, which he returned with a wink.

"Hey, speaking of WordGirl, guess what I got in the mail this week," TJ challenged.

"What's that?" Tobey asked, taking the bait.

"Oh, just a letter from WordGirl," TJ replied, hands on his hips. "She told me another big secret about herself that no one else knows."

Tobey donned a wry smile. "Let me guess. This time it's her favorite color?"

" _Better_. She told me her favorite _book_ , and I'm not gonna tell _you_ what it is. How do you like _that_ , huh?"

Tobey shrugged. "Suits me just fine. I already know far more about WordGirl than _you_ ever will."

TJ doubtfully rolled his eyes. "Pfft! Yeah, right! I'm her biggest fan. What could you possibly know that _I_ don't?"

"Well, for instance—"

"TJ, get out of my room!" Becky screamed suddenly.

As she dragged her brother out the door he babbled, "What? But you _asked_ me to—"

She slammed the door, paused for a breath, then opened it again and snatched her unicorns from her brother's grip before slamming it in his face once more. She set Angelface and Tickleshine carefully on a nearby shelf, and listened as TJ sulked off to his own room, muttering in bewildered shock. Once she was sure he was out of earshot, she turned on Tobey with an impassioned glare.

This was it. No more mind games. No more intimidation. No more coy beating around the bush. She wasn't going to quietly take this anymore. It was making her come unraveled.

"All right, Tobey," she snapped. "What's your game?"

Tobey blinked, his smile replaced by a look of confusion. "I—beg your pardon?"

"Tobey, don't patronize me," she said, clenching her fists. "You know who I am, so what now? Are you gonna blackmail me? Announce my identity at the next villain convention? _What?_ "

Tobey was taken aback—or _seemed_ so, at least. "Why would you think—?"

"Because you're a _villain_ , Tobey!" she blasted, all her repressed fear and anger from the past week surging forth at once. "You've been trying to expose my identity since we met! So you could use it against me!"

Her eyes stung suddenly, and she realized with a stab of new fear that, despite her best efforts to appear confident and unfazed, her weakness was now on display. Full disclosure.

Tobey stood to his feet, staring at her in shock. "Becky, are you... crying?"

"Answer me!" She shouted, and Tobey shied back. Trembling and staring at the floor, she continued in a pained voice, "Please… either tell me what you're going to do, or just do it and get it over with! I can't take this anymore…"

"I wasn't—planning on doing anything," he said.

So it was going to be blackmail, then.

"Great," she muttered angrily. "So what do I have to do to keep it that way?"

Now Tobey _really_ looked taken aback. He waved his hands in front of him and his voice was devoid of subtext as he nervously stuttered, "N-Nothing!"

"Nothing?" Becky repeated in disbelief.

Tobey hesitated for a moment, holding her gaze and swallowing hard. At long last he spoke again, his tone soft and vulnerable. "WordGirl, I never wanted to _hurt_ you… I just wanted to know who you were."

Becky sniffled and wiped her eyes, her pulse slowing at last. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're serious? You won't tell anyone?"

"Why _would_ I?" Tobey countered defensively. "Knowing WordGirl's secret identity is an honor and a privilege. After all the time and effort I put into obtaining it, do you really think I would just—give it away to someone who didn't even _earn_ it?"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. " _Please_. I'm a villain, not an idiot."

"So… you'll really keep my secret?" Becky asked, amazed. "You promise?"

"I _promise_ ," Tobey said, placing a hand over his chest. "McCallister's honor."

Becky blinked in shock. New tears tickled her eyes, but these were not from fear. She reached up and wiped her eyes, feeling embarrassed that she had wasted so much energy worrying about what Tobey might do. But how was she to know? How could she, a superhero, conceive in even her wildest imaginations that one of her arch enemies might want her secret identity for any reason other than to use as a weapon?

Tobey swallowed, and sheepishly stared at the floor. "So… please don't cry."

Becky sniffled, and almost laughed. So he really just… wanted to know? And that was _all_? The idea was still incredible to her, but once she finally wrapped her mind around it, she was left with a surprising realization… Tobey wasn't a villain like all the others. His motives were different. His goals were different. His heart was in a completely different place.

Becky smiled at a suddenly bashful Tobey with rekindled determination, spirits lifting as her faith returned.

 _Maybe…_ _he's_ _not a lost cause,_ _after all._

« ... »

 _There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off._

— _Proverbs 23:18_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Where's Huggy?_ _—_ Some of you may have noticed that Bob is suspiciously absent for this chapter. Don't worry, it will be explained later. It's no big deal, so don't get your hopes up. ;Pxc**

 **- _When TJ Found Out…_ _—_ 'Two-Brains Forgets' is probably the greatest canon justification for how freaked out Becky is at the idea of a villain knowing her secret. In this episode, DTB figures out who she is by accident, and since he's not Tobey, he promptly exposes her to her family and then captures them all. The problem was magically solved with an amnesia ray at the end, but not before we got to see a mortified reaction from TJ, who got very angry and disowned his fanship after discovering that WordGirl was his sister.**

 **- _In Retrospect_ _—_ Well, there you have it folks. When my siblings and I started pondering what would happen if Tobey _actually_ found out Becky's secret, what we finally decided was that he wouldn't want to tell anyone. His motivations, as made clear throughout the series, are completely different from those of all the other villains, and since he wants to know who WordGirl is for completely personal reasons, why would he tell anyone else? Of course, being the social retard that he is, he just assumed Becky understood this and acted as though nothing was wrong. *rolls eyes endearingly* For a time I considered going into Tobey's POV at some point during this story arc and revealing that he had no intention of exposing Becky's secret, but ultimately I determined that it was more important for the readers to feel the weight of Becky's fears than for their minds to be set at ease about Tobey. Of course, some of you saw this coming anyway. ;P I don't expect anyone to go back and read the past few chapters over, but I urge you to at least reflect back on recent scenes with Tobey through the lens that he never had the slightest inclination to tell Becky's secret to anyone. My hope is that this fresh perspective will give new insight into to the way he was behaving. ;)**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Outside_ _" by_ _The Age of Information_ _—_ This is Becky's heart, in a dark and brutally honest nutshell, here at her breaking point. The line about bleeding might be a little _too_ graphic and angst-ridden to fit, but the rest of it is pretty spot-on. It even has the exact line, "I cannot take this anymore."**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Coming After You_ _" by_ _Owl City_ _—_ On the flip side, I imagine this is more what _Tobey's_ view of the situation looked like… The contrast is laughable. :P**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Changing Faces_ _" by_ _E.G. Daily_ _—_ The lyrics for this one are pretty abstract, but I still think it conveys a very poignant representation of the shift that is taking place right now between Becky and Tobey. Everything is out in the open now, and neither of them can hide behind pretenses or false personas anymore. The coy little cat-and-mouse game that they've been playing for years is over, and now it's time for them to start exploring an actual, meaningful relationship. The walls between them have crumbled, and through the pain and frustration Becky has suffered as a result of her defenses being stripped away, she's finally coming into the freeing realization that she can at last be honest and personal with Tobey in a way that she never could before—a way that can actually reach past the superficial visage of the problem and grasp the true heart of the matter. Onward! The third plot arc is at hand! XD**


	13. Incunabula

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'It's Your Party and I'll Cry If I Want To.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **This week was fun for me. I don't think I've ever gotten so many reviews for a single chapter in such a short amount of time. You guys are _awesome_. :)**

 **Well, here we go with the third plot arc. Time to cool things down a bit… on the surface, at least. ;)**

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Incunabula [ in-ky _oo_ - **nab** -y _uh_ -l _uh_ ] – the earliest stages or first traces of anything.

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Tobey hadn't slept soundly for the better part of a week.

Eyes stinging from fatigue, he sat hunched over a paint-worn keyboard, trying to throw his full focus into finishing the behavior program for his new battle robot. After weeks of work, it was nearly complete. By tomorrow it would be ready for testing, and then…

…then what?

 _"You know who I am, so what now?"_ WordGirl's— _Becky's_ question from a few days ago repeated in his mind. _"Please… either tell me what you're going to do, or just do it and get it over with!"_

He remembered that moment vividly, and despite his best efforts not to think back on it, he returned constantly to the single memory of his greatest opponent and dearest companion in the most fragile state he'd ever seen. He remembered the trembling in her limbs, the fear in her voice… the tears in her eyes. _"_ _I can't take this anymore…_ _"_

Tobey's fingers froze on the keyboard. He swallowed, awkwardly managed to click 'save,' and covered his face with trembling hands. What was wrong with him? It wasn't as though she had never been upset with him before. Frustration was practically a constant in their back-and-forth, cat-and-mouse routine.

Even as he tried to reason it away, however, Tobey knew deep down exactly why this time was so different. Granted Becky—ergo WordGirl—was annoyed or angry around him far more often than she was happy, but he'd never seen her quite like _that_ before. She had never been _afraid_ of him. Not the way she was that day.

He hadn't even realized how strongly his actions had been affecting her. He thought it was obvious that her secret was safe with him. He expected her to be frustrated that he had beaten her, but he never thought _she_ expected _him_ to use it against her. Honestly, why would she think he wanted to expose her? Didn't she know by now how precious she was to him? All he wanted was to be able to see her anytime. To know that he could always find her. He wanted her to keep smiling at him, and talking to him, and doing things with him. He wanted her… to like him.

Even so, Becky's heartrending plea had shown how starkly her feelings about the situation differed from his. Had he really been… hurting her? All this time? He didn't know what to think of that. All he knew was that when he saw her standing before him so wounded, so vulnerable—so terrified of what he might do that she was _crying_ …

…he felt something.

Something he couldn't describe, or even name.

He had felt it the day he saw Katie cry about her birthday cake, except _this_ time it was far, far worse. It was something deep, and personal, and disturbing… something he never wanted to feel again.

Tobey grit his teeth, pushed aside his keyboard, and let his face fall forward on his desk with a _smack._

Enough already! He was tired of brooding over mysteries and emotions that he didn't understand. Nevertheless, there was one question he knew he would have to answer, and soon…

 _What now?_

He had been pursuing WordGirl for so long—fighting her, chasing her, dreaming of her… Now that he'd beaten her, caught her, and realized his dream of making her a part of his everyday life, he had no idea what to do next.

He'd never thought this far ahead. He didn't know what was supposed to happen now that he had won. Normally when you won a game you packed up the pieces and put it back on the shelf… but when Tobey applied that analogy to his deliberate day-to-day struggle with WordGirl, his whole being screamed in protest.

It couldn't be over. He wouldn't accept that! There had to be more. There just _had_ to be!

Lost in a tangle of questions and confusion, Tobey wrapped his arms into a makeshift pillow between his desk and his buzzing head, and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

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Friday had been the strangest day of Becky's life—even _after_ a villain had promised to keep her secret in exchange for nothing.

Before the emotion of the moment had worn off TJ had wandered back into her room to get something he'd allegedly forgotten and started yelling at Tobey for making his sister cry. Then, in the midst of _that_ ruckus, Captain Huggyface had appeared at the window in full costume snapping about how she had left him at the Bank after their battle with The Butcher, and she'd just barely managed to pull him inside and stuff him under the bed while her brother was distracted.

What followed was a shockingly calm weekend, and after that an even _more_ shockingly calm two days at school. In a complete turnaround from the previous week, Tobey steered clear of Becky for the most part, to the point that she started to worry. However, just when she was beginning to think he was avoiding her, he rushed in front of her to open a door for her, then rushed off before she could even thank him. Then there were a few times when she caught him staring at her in class, just before he flinched and became suddenly engrossed with his bare desk.

Becky didn't know what to make of this behavior. Honestly, she was still reeling over what had happened when she confronted him about his intentions regarding her secret identity.

Who would have thought that she could trust _him_ , of all people, to keep her most precious secret? And while he was yet a _villain_ , no less. She could trust him to protect her identity before she could even trust him not to go on a citywide robot rampage. It was so bizarre she could hardly wrap her mind around it. Even so… it was a tremendous relief.

In the few days following that heartening realization her spirits had returned with a vengeance, and she was now more determined than ever to turn Tobey from his villainous ways. For some reason, she felt like she owed it to him.

So, with a wheel of cheddar hidden behind her back, she floated once more down the halls of the City Jail until she reached the cheese-scented dwelling of her second-favorite villain.

The mad scientist was facing away from her, hunched conspicuously in the shadowed corner of his cell and muttering to himself.

She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to try and get a look at what he was doing as she dubiously greeted, "Hey there, Dr. Two-Brains."

He flinched when she spoke, then quickly threw a poster that looked a lot like a map over the ground in front of him.

"WordGirl!" he greeted with a wave, zipping over to her with a bright but awkward smile as his—poster?—sank into the ground beneath it. "So nice of you to drop by so suddenly. I've just been sitting here in my cell not doing anything. You here for more relationship advice?"

WordGirl's eyes flew open, and she nervously blasted, "No! Why would—? I'm not—! I never even—!"

" _Whoa_ , girl! Why don't you take a chill pill and define the word 'relationship'?"

WordGirl frowned, but nonetheless obediently took a deep breath and chose her words very carefully as she grudgingly muttered, "A relationship is the emotional connection or involvement between two people. It sometimes refers specifically to romance, but a relationship can exist between any two people who know each other and it can be good or bad."

"See? Nothing to freak out over."

She supposed he was right… though she still got the feeling he had phrased it the way he did just to bother her. "But… how did you know I was here about Tobey?"

"Why else would you come visit me in jail?" the villain said with a smile and a shrug. "Plus, I can smell the cheese behind your back."

WordGirl averted her eyes, making an annoyed face, and sheepishly tossed the cheddar to the waiting hands of Dr. Two-Brains.

"Nice!" He licked his lips and bit into it, turning back to WordGirl and muttering with his mouth full, "So where are the other two?"

"The other two?"

He swallowed and shamelessly said, "Yeah, the other two cheese wheels to pay for my services."

"What?" WordGirl exclaimed. "But last time you only charged me _one_ wheel of cheese!"

"Hey, supply and demand, Kiddo. There's only one of me, and you seem to be asking enough questions for the whole city." Patting his stomach, he smilingly added, "Plus, I have to adjust for inflation."

WordGirl exhaled in exasperation and sardonically rolled her eyes. " _Fine_ … I'll be back in a minute."

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Tobey woke up feeling grumpy and disoriented. But also, he noticed a moment later, comfortably warm.

Reaching around himself, he grasped the edges of the blue and green blanket draped over his back. He didn't remember being covered when he'd fallen asleep. In fact, he was fairly certain he remembered leaving this blanket in a wad on the floor after he'd woken up this morning too early and in a foul mood.

His lips curled at the realization that his mother must have come in while he was sleeping and covered him. She had her moments, that woman. Tobey snuggled into the comforting warmth and looked up to check the computer.

It was off. Tobey frowned in surprise. _That_ was strange. He didn't remember turning it off earlier. Had it crashed? Crashes didn't usually turn the machine _off_ , though. Puzzled, Tobey pressed the power button and checked the clock on his wall while the system booted up. Six o'clock. He'd slept for about two hours. Maybe the PC had just gone into power-save mode.

A moment later the welcoming startup alarm sounded, and Tobey opened the list of recent items to select his robot's nearly finished behavior program.

An error message lit up the screen:

THIS FILE NO LONGER EXISTS. SORRY ABOUT THAT. :(

Tobey's mouth fell open as he blinked a few times in sheer disbelief. He quickly checked the recycle bin for recently deleted items. Empty. He searched the hard drive to see if the file had been moved. Nothing. The program was nowhere to be found. Weeks of work just… gone.

Once the shock had worn off, his brow furrowed with rage.

Tobey shot to his feet, knocking his chair and blanket over behind him, and snatched a remote and a miniaturized robot from the edge of his desk as he made a beeline for the window.

Gill Bates had really done it _this_ time, and he was going to pay for this unforgivable atrocity.

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 _Tobey had better turn good soon,_ WordGirl fretted to herself, _or I'm gonna need a bigger allowance._

While Dr. Two-Brains happily nibbled away at his newly acquired Mozzarella and Pepperjack, WordGirl floated in a sitting position just outside his cell door explaining her latest conundrum.

"So, I'm definitely making progress," she said with more conviction than she felt, "but I think I've reached a point where I need to change tactics again."

"How so?" Two-Brains mumbled with his mouth full.

WordGirl hesitated, trying to think of a way to explain that didn't entail revealing her secret identity to yet another villain. "Well… at this point, I don't think a pattern of ignoring him and paying attention to him is going to cut it in the long run. I'm starting to feel like I need to dig a little deeper, you know?"

"Time to take the relationship to the next level, huh?" the doc teased, earning a reproachful frown from his client. "Well, I suggest going right to the heart of the issue."

"Meaning?" she prodded.

"You need to figure out his motivation for being a villain."

"His motivation? You mean the reason why he _wants_ to be a villain?"

"That's right."

"But… I thought we established that his motivation was _me_."

"No, you're his motivation for causing trouble," Dr. Two-Brains cryptically explained. "His motivation for being a _villain_ is a whole different bag of Cheese Thingies."

WordGirl gave him a confused look, so he sighed and went on in an exasperated tone, "Okay, we'll use me for example again. You're Tobey's cheese, right?"

"Right."

"Great, so you know what his _cheese_ is," he said, holding up the last bit of his cheddar. He tossed the morsel in his mouth, pointed to his head, and slyly added, "Now you just need to figure out what his _mouse brain_ is."

WordGirl blinked, then shook her head to clear a disturbing image of Tobey with an extra brain. Weirdness aside, the doctor's bizarre analogy really did make sense.

"So," she murmured in awe, "you're saying I need to find out why he became a villain in the first place?"

"Precisely. Find the root of the problem, and you can deal with it at its source."

WordGirl beamed, brimming with newfound hope and enthusiasm. Victory had never felt so close. "That's… perfect! That's exactly what I'm gonna do!"

"WordGirl," Warden Chalmers' voice called from nearby. "You might want to take a look at this."

Curious, she drifted over to the front desk just a few paces away, and turned her attention to the TV that the warden and a few of his officers were watching. On the screen a bird's-eye view showed a giant robot trudging through town, while a newscaster's voice continued a narration in progress, "—on the warpath, but as of yet, no damage to City property has been done. Apparently this robot has a specific target in mind."

WordGirl's heart sank when she glimpsed the tiny visage of a person on the robot's shoulder. That was undoubtedly Tobey.

"I'd better go," she announced.

"Don't do it," Dr. Two-Brains called out from his cell, sticking his head through the bars to shoot her a reprimanding frown. "If you cave, the jig's up, and you came all this way for nothing."

WordGirl bit her lip, and apprehensively looked back at the TV screen. He was probably right. In fact, he was almost _certainly_ right. And yet…

Tobey's image on the news feed was too small and fuzzy for her to make out his face, but somehow she knew in her heart that he wasn't just doing this for attention. It was a different reason this time. Something was wrong. Racking her brain for an answer, she remembered the first thing she had said to Dr. Two-Brains two months ago when he had asked her what Tobey was after when he wrecked the city. _"Sometimes he's just mad_ _about something._ _"_

It was a big gamble, but WordGirl steeled her nerves and made her decision. No matter how silly it seemed, she couldn't shake the feeling that Tobey needed her right now.

"I won't fight him," she said, as much to herself as to Dr. Two-Brains. "I'm just going to see what's the matter."

And with that she jetted off before her consultant could argue.

« ... »

 _Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love._

— _1 Corinthians 16:13-14_

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _It's called 'guilt,' Theodore_ _—_ (lol, I wonder if anyone else will recognize that Chipmunks reference :P) In 'It's Your Party And I'll Cry If I Want To' Tobey is livid at not being invited to the birthday party of a girl from school named Katie. He ultimately decides to takes out his frustrations by destroying her party, but when he's about to have his robot crush her cake she starts to cry, and he can't bring himself to do it. That's adorable enough all by itself, but the way he acts afterward is so awkward and seemingly uncharacteristic of him that it's easily one of my favorite scenes in the series. XP It actually took me a while, though, to figure out exactly why he was acting so antsy in that moment… I think it was because he was feeling guilty, but since that emotion is in conflict with his self image ("I'm an evil villain! Villains don't feel _bad_ about hurting people's feelings!") he went into this weird mode where he was feeling remorse but didn't want to admit it to himself, and that is _exactly_ what I imagine is happening to him in this chapter. He feels guilty for hurting Becky—WAY more so than he felt for _almost_ hurting Katie—but he doesn't want to admit that he's done something wrong, so instead he lets himself languish in this frustrating emotional limbo where he can't feel peace about what's happened even though it's all been outwardly resolved. *exasperated but endearing sigh* Goodness, Tobey… Why do you have to be so dense? XP**

 **- _C_ _omputer_ _Trouble_ _—_ I don't think I've ever actually _seen_ a computer anywhere in Tobey's house, but I figure he has to do his robot programming _somehow_ , so… yeah. :| Also, my Dad is a long-time enemy of all things Microsoft, so I can't resist slipping some Windows hate into my writing when the opportunity strikes. :P**

 **- _Cheese Thingies_ _—_ This is _sort of_ a reference to the arc of 2-minute episodes that introduced Dr. Two-Brains. There was a short little scene in one of them where he was devouring a bag of Cheeto-like snacks called Cheese Thingies. **

**- _Theme Song: "_ _Spinnin' Around_ _" by_ _Jump 5_ _—_ This one is kind of wonky how it fits, but if you're willing to do a little mental gymnastics, it actually fits pretty well. :) For the verses, it conveniently falls that the boy parts are Tobey and the girl parts are Becky. The chorus and bridge parts, then, are sort of a weird blur of the two of them. It's about the craziness that has come to be the norm in their relationship, but also how they're gradually coming to be okay with it, and even find some hope and beauty in it. :3**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Talk to Me_ _" by_ _Abandon_ _—_ Tobey's frustration and confusion as he faces his uncertain future. Incidentally, it also makes mention of 'spinnin' around,' and it flows right into the next, more angsty song quite well ;P**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _I See Red_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ In correlating this song with what's going on in Tobey's heart right now, 'red' represents resistance. He's experiencing a conflict of interest between the callous villain who he _perceives_ himself to be and the kind, happy child who he truthfully _wants_ to be deep down. It gets a little harder to see the connection in the second half of the song where it gets more upbeat, but I think it could be seen as the hope that's still rising in spite of all the frustration that's coming to light as a result of the healing process. I love how near the end his subconscious longing for change comes out in the line, "Take it all, take the hurt and heartache, and help me start again."**


	14. Penetralia

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'Book Ends.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **I just want to take a moment to say that my readers are _awesome!_ XD Thanks so much to those of you who gave me feedback on the first scene from this chapter, especially CorinneTheAnime and Serene Mariposa. Thanks to you guys, this chapter came out so much better! Give yourselves a pat on the back. I'd do it myself, but unfortunately technology hasn't advanced that far just yet. :P**

 **Wasn't there something else I wanted to mention…? Oh yeah, COVER ART! :D It hit me one day that I haven't written a fanfic this long since my epic 2-year Ratchet & Clank project _The General and Kaden_ , and I can't publish something this long without giving it a cover art! :( Thus, I enlisted the services of my multi-talented little sister Lucinda Cottontale (who you've all heard much about already ;P). That's right, she DREW that picture! XD I tell ya, it is _awesome_ having super-talented younger siblings who will work for restaurant dates and movie tickets. X) If anybody would like to see the full, high-res version of the cover art she made for this story, you can find the link on my profile.**

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Penetralia [pen-i- **trey** -lee- _uh_ ] – the most private or secret things.

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"Tobey, what are you doing?" WordGirl shouted as she flew to the young villain's side.

Standing resolutely on the left shoulder of his robot, Tobey flashed her an angry frown. "I'm destroying Megahard Industries."

WordGirl glided alongside his robot, matching its pace. She started to panic when she glanced ahead and saw that the skyscraper in question was just a few giant strides away. "But, _why_?"

"Because I spent _weeks_ working on that program!" Tobey shouted, curling his fists in front of his chest.

"What program?"

"My robot program!" he screamed, nearly dropping his accent. " _D_ _ozens_ of labor-intensive hours utterly wasted because of a freak computer malfunction!"

The robot stopped as the building came within reach, and raised up its hand to strike.

WordGirl flashed between the robot and its target and met the furious eyes of the boy at the helm, forbiddingly spreading her arms. "Wait, stop!"

"No!" Tobey screamed. " I'm going to decimate this building! Gill Bates has victimized my valuable time with his shoddy operating system for the last time! "

"Tobey, _please_ , I know you're smarter than this," WordGirl entreated. "Just calm down and _think_ for a minute!"

"Thinking won't fix anything!"

"But what will wrecking this building fix?"

She got his tongue with that one. The fury drained from his face, leaving behind a confused, wavering grimace. But just as she was about to smile and say something encouraging to drive her point home, he violently shook his head and his wrath returned with a vengeance

"Well... at least I am taking direct action against an insufferable corporation! Consider it feedback."

WordGirl matched his determined frown. She wasn't giving up that easily. "And after you've finished, then what? You'll be in _so_ much trouble, and you'll have nothing to show for it!"

With that she stubbornly stood her ground, heart pounding. She wasn't exactly sure why, but it was different this time, and not just because she was determined not to fight. This time she was thinking about the argument she had overheard between Tobey and his mother on the day he had battled Kid Math, about how sad it had made her feel, and about how she didn't want anything like it to happen ever again.

Tobey crossed his arms and indignantly retorted, "Oh, you think a giant pile of rubble is nothing to show for it?"

"Nothing that does any good."

"I'm not _trying_ to do good! I'm a _villain_ ," he bellowed. "Now either fight me or get out of my way!"

WordGirl took a sharp breath. Deja vu. Dr. Two-Brains had said nearly the same thing the first time she had approached him for advice about Tobey. Were the two of them really _that_ similar?

She nervously bit her lip and thought carefully about what she should say next. The words… What were the words that could reach him? _Were_ there any? Was the battle already lost?

With the reminder of her first consultation with Dr. Two-Brains fresh in her mind, she recalled his advice about rewards and consequences, and solemnly prepared for her final appeal.

"Tobey, it's not worth it," she pleaded at the top of her lungs, desperately splaying out her hands toward him. "Come on, I know you can do this—I mean, _not_ do this! Just hand me the remote, and we'll talk about it, okay?"

Tobey hesitated, finger hovering over the attack button. His face remained plastered with fierce anger, but a faint glimmer of indecision leaked through. Unsure if it was wise, WordGirl entertained a faint, guarded hope. Against all odds, his resolve appeared to be weakening.

Finally he moved, just enough to glance down at his remote and press a button. WordGirl tensed when the robot shifted its hand, but rather than making a swipe at the building, it instead held up its palm like a platform in front of its shoulder. Tobey stepped forward onto it, and it lifted him over to the edge of the rooftop, where WordGirl hovered in midair.

Jumping onto the roof, he relinquished the device with an open hand, still frowning as he gestured for her to take it.

The young heroine blinked, pleasantly surprised. _Whoa…_ _It—it_ _worked?_

She could hardly believe it. He had _listened_ to her! Unwillingly, perhaps… but still! It was enough to make her heart soar with joy as she gingerly took hold of his remote.

"Tobey, you did it!" she exclaimed, perhaps with too much enthusiasm, and Tobey shot her an annoyed glance. "I mean, _didn't_ do it," she corrected herself, more calmly this time.

"Yes, but, how is _not_ destroying buildings supposed to make me feel better?" Tobey huffed. He plopped down at the edge of the roof and slumped over his crossed arms.

WordGirl quietly rolled her eyes and alighted next to him, putting on her best encouraging smile and setting down his remote on her opposite side. "Well that's just it, Tobey. How you _act_ isn't always supposed to be about how you feel. I mean, imagine if I came to your house and destroyed all your robots every time _I_ got angry."

She could tell by from the way Tobey's eyes popped open and his frown disappeared that she'd hit the right nerve. He straightened and nervously looked her in the eyes. "Do you… get angry often?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Tobey, I fight villains on a daily basis, _and_ I have a little brother."

He swallowed. "I see your point."

"Look," she went on in a calm, soothing tone, "I'm not saying you can't do things to make yourself feel better—just that those things can't involve using giant robots to destroy other people's property."

Tobey groaned, staring down at the street below, and WordGirl could tell the idea wasn't taking very well. She was silent for a brief moment, unsure what else to say, but perked as an idea occurred to her.

"Tell you what?" she said. "I'll make a deal with you. If you agree to try some different ways of getting your anger out, I'll give you a reward every time you want to destroy something and don't."

Tobey perked, sitting up straighter as he glanced aside at her. "A reward?"

"Oh, a reward is a gift given to thank or encourage someone who has done something good. So when I say—"

"I _know_ what a reward is," he interrupted, looking away with a roll of his eyes.

"So what do you say?"

Tobey went quiet for a moment, staring out at the cityscape while she watched him in tense anticipation. At last he reluctantly muttered, "I suppose it couldn't hurt to try."

WordGirl could hardly contain her excitement. "'Atta boy!" she exclaimed, giving him a firm pat on the back that made him flinch. After that she went quiet, just smiling at him, and he stared expectantly at her.

"Well?" he muttered after a moment's silence.

WordGirl blinked, the smile falling from her face as she realized what he meant. "Oh, well, I didn't think _now_ would count since I just…"

Tobey narrowed his eyebrows at her, and so she reluctantly muttered, "Okay, fine. Um…"

She regretted her words too late, realizing as she looked over her suit that she didn't really have anything to give him. A sneaky thought came to her, however, and she smiled victoriously once more. Two could play at that game.

"I've got it," she announced with a snap of her fingers.

She took off her helmet and pulled a bobby pin from her hair, which she happily held out to Tobey. "Here you go."

He stared dubiously for a second at the tiny accessory in her hand, then looked back up at her with a raised eyebrow. "A bobby pin?"

WordGirl let the smile fall once more from her face and softly grumbled, "Give me a break, McCallister, it's all I've got."

Tobey took the pin and scrutinized it for a moment before he looked back at her and condescendingly muttered, "Um… you do realize that I'm a boy, don't you?"

Unfazed, she dismissed his comment with a flippant flick of her wrist. "Oh, pfft! These things aren't gender-specific. Besides, they're really useful." She took the pin back from him and met his eyes as she asked, "May I?"

Tobey hesitated for a moment, cheeks going rosy. Finally he averted his eyes and nodded hesitantly.

WordGirl grinned and put her helmet back on as she scooted a little closer to him, then began working the pin into his hair. Moments later she pulled back to survey her handiwork, and immediately snorted a chuckle. She wouldn't be considering a career as a hair stylist, _that_ was for sure.

"What?" Tobey snapped, sounding flustered.

"Nothing." She looked away, failing pathetically to hold in her amusement.

She heard Tobey pull the bobby pin from his hair, and when she looked back at him he had already stood to his feet. With an annoyed huff he stepped around behind her, picked up his remote, and climbed back into the hand of the robot still waiting beside the building. Once he was back on its shoulder, it calmly strode away, and WordGirl relished a muted squeal of delight. Who would have thought? She had been utterly blindsided by this victory.

Her confidence was so bolstered by her success that she wondered if she dared push a little further. Remembering Dr. Two-Brains' latest charge, it occurred to her that now might be as good a time as any to dig for Tobey's hidden motives. But how to approach such a sensitive issue? She couldn't just come right out and _ask_ him…

Then again, maybe she could.

"Hey, wait up," she called out, racing off to catch up with him.

"Oh, what do you want _now?_ " he grumbled, sitting down and crossing his arms while his robot lumbered toward the suburbs.

She zipped in front of it, landed at Tobey's side between the robot's shoulder and its neck, and clasped her hands in her lap as she asked in as bright and casual a tone as she could manage, "Tobey can I ask you something?"

Tobey gave her a curious look, then warily drawled, "All right…"

WordGirl sobered, and looked him straight in the eyes. "Why did you become a villain, anyway?"

Tobey looked so shocked at the question that she began to regret asking. It was too late to worry, though, so she just held her breath and watched him as he averted his eyes and stared off into space. His vacant expression gradually contorted into an angry grimace, and at last he spoke…

"I've always hated school… ever since I first started," he said in a distant, frustrated tone. "I was bored most of the time and angry the rest of the time. The material was never challenging and the other children were all just mindless, thoughtless nitwits. If my whole second grade class including the teacher had put their brains together, their collective IQ would've barely been _half_ of mine!"

WordGirl was about to roll her eyes and mutter in annoyance that she _got it_ already, when Tobey softened and somberly added, "That's why they didn't like me."

She nearly gasped, and stared with a sudden rush of sympathy at the dry frown plastered across his face.

"Wow…" she said, her voice tender with pity. "That's so sad."

Tobey scoffed and rolled his eyes. " _Hardly_. I can assure you, the feeling was mutual. I didn't want anything to do with those imbeciles anyway, always laughing at me and leaving me out of everything, as though _I_ was the one with the problem."

He paused for a moment, his crossed arms tensing, though WordGirl almost thought she saw his shoulders tremble slightly.

"Eventually I got tired of putting up with them, and I started to retaliate using my robots," he went on, his voice both harsher and somehow more vulnerable than before. "I don't think I planned to keep it up, but once I started doing bad things, I—I couldn't stop myself."

His frown suddenly melted into a somewhat disturbing smile. He pumped his arms at his chest, and his tone became tainted with misplaced excitement. "It was just so liberating! It made me feel so alive! It certainly forced the other children to notice me, but by the time I started destroying public property, _villains_ began to notice me. They would say things to me in passing, like, 'nice work, kid,' or 'keep fighting the bad fight!' They didn't look down on me because of my age, or resent me because of my intelligence…" He trailed off for a moment, then muttered through a sigh, "I suppose I began to identify with them because… they were the only people who ever really accepted me."

WordGirl was thunderstruck. She stared into Tobey's fervent young eyes, and remembered something. Last week, just before Tobey had promised to keep her secret, her mother had said something to her… something she had completely dismissed in the moment, but that now stung her with an all-too-apparent truth.

"Wow, Tobey…" she murmured, eyes widening in sorrowful amazement, "you _are_ lonely."

Tobey turned on her with a flabbergasted expression, defensively blasting. "Wh-What are you talking about? Lonely? Me?" He paused to laugh. "Don't be ridiculous! I'm not _lonely_ , I—I have my robots."

It was almost humorous the way he made that assertion so smugly, folding his arms and pointing his nose in the air… and yet somehow, it was the saddest thing WordGirl thought she'd ever heard.

 _"But all I_ have _is robots,"_ she remembered him saying so long ago. At the time she had thought nothing of it, but now it meant more than she ever could have imagined… It was like he had been desperately begging for her help all this time, and she had just been too self-absorbed to notice.

As guilt rose up inside her, she realized something else…

Ever since she'd begun this seemingly hopeless endeavor of turning Tobey from villainy, she was never really thinking of _him_. Even though her sole focus, it seemed, had _always_ been on him, he was never the one for whose sake she was doing it. She was doing it for his mother, and for the city, and even for herself… but not for Tobey. She had never really cared about _his_ life, _his_ needs, or _his_ pain. These past couple of months, though her tactics had changed, WordGirl had still seen Tobey the same way she'd always seen him—as a villain she had to defeat. A problem she had to solve.

Her paradigm was shifting. Over the course of a few short minutes Tobey had become infinitely more complex than she'd ever imagined. No longer was he but a frustrating nuisance who stood out from the other villains solely because of his bizarre misplaced affections. Now, as she was confronted with the sobering realization that he was actually a child just like her who was lost, hurting, and in desperate need of someone to gently show him the way… she could see that he wasn't the only one beginning to change.

WordGirl still wanted to help him, but not simply for herself, or for his mother, or even for the city she loved… but for _him_. Because now, though it had hit her out of nowhere, she knew beyond any doubt that he _mattered_ to her, and that she didn't want him to slip away into a dark and hopeless future.

Heart quivering with remorse and compassion, she forced a cheerful smile and pleasantly suggested, "Do you want to come over on Saturday?"

Tobey looked surprised as he met her eyes. "Come over… to your house, you mean?"

"Yeah," she giggled. "We could try out some different ways for you to get your anger out."

His expression turned grumpy and dissatisfied, so she hastened to add, "Aaaaand maybe afterward we could play a game or something."

He brightened at that, and coyly muttered, "Oh, I don't know… I'm awfully busy, what with having to rewrite my battle robot's behavior program from scratch…"

WordGirl resisted the urge to smirk and roll her eyes. She knew what he was doing, but somehow, in the warmth of the moment, his self-important cheekiness didn't bother her nearly as much as usual. So, rather than making one of the five snappy comebacks that popped into her head, she instead allowed herself to be baited right into his trap.

"Please come," she said with a welcoming smile. "I _really_ want you to."

"Well, far be it from me to deny the request of a fair maiden such as yourself," he said with a prideful smile, pompously touching his chest. "I shall speak to my mother about it this evening."

WordGirl suppressed a giggle. Only Tobey would ever think to call her a 'fair maiden.' Truth be told… she didn't hate it. "Great! I'll talk to my parents, too."

"Right!" He smiled brightly. Then, after a moment's silence, he shrank a little and murmured with a rosy glow in his cheeks, "So… I'll see you on Saturday, then?"

"Actually," WordGirl chuckled, "You'll see me tomorrow."

Tobey turned his face up to her with a look of bewildered but pleasant surprise. "Oh… right! Tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow."

She smiled, waved, and gently drifted away. It was strange… almost funny, even. For the first time in her life, she was actually looking _forward_ to a future play date with Theodore McCallister the Third.

« ... »

" _You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."_

— _Matthew 5:43-45_

* * *

 ***heaves a deep, swooning sigh* I've been waiting to unleash that chapter for a _looooooong_ time… :3 Be warned, dear readers. These be deep waters, and we're getting close to the bottom now… Meaning the author's notes are half the length of the chapter, so get comfortable :P**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Tobey's Backstory_ _—_ I realized early on that I would need to address Tobey's past at some point, but I didn't realize just how difficult it would be for me to decide what direction to go with it, and how to address it. *-* I considered his father, and ultimately decided against going that route because it wasn't conducive to the vision I had for the story. I wanted to keep the focus on Tobey's relationship with Becky, and bringing his dad into the mix, even if he didn't actually make an appearance, would make it difficult to keep that focus where it needed to be. Plus, Tobey kind of strikes me as a kid who's never met his father (I'm not sold on that idea, it just makes sense to me). With Junior out of the equation, the question became what and how much of Tobey's early childhood to bring up. After much agonizing over how to get Tobey to a place where it was in character for him to spill his guts about his past, I realized that the times when he is most honest and vulnerable tend to be the times when he is annoyed or angry. So, rather than try to create this really tender moment where he bares his soul to Becky, I decided instead to just let him complain about his life, and wouldn't you know? Somehow in the midst of all that, his heart came out. :3**

 **- _Tobey's_ _Mouse Brain_ _—_ Once my brother and sister and I put our collective human brains together and started really thinking about Tobey's core motivations, it didn't take too long to recognize loneliness as the culprit for Tobey's pursuit of villainy. His relentless quest for attention and recognition is a classic symptom of loneliness, and putting that aside, it fits considering what we know about his character and personality. On top of being a genius, which automatically makes it hard to connect with your peers, he's an extremely eccentric little boy. Between his fake accent, his destructive impulses, and his fascination with robotics, it's no wonder he doesn't have any friends. The worst part, I think, is that it turned into a vicious cycle. The stranger he became, the more he became isolated from normal kids, and the more he became isolated from normal kids, the stranger he became. The result is a lonely prodigy who puts up a front of disinterest as a defense mechanism to cope with the pain of being rejected by virtually everyone around him… It breaks my heart just thinking about it. T-T**

 **- _"_ _But all I have is robots."_ _—_ Tobey said this in 'Book Ends' when WordGirl told him that he should try to use things other than robots if he doesn't want to be predictable. It's meant to be a cute, funny little line, but I'll jump at any opportunity to take something meant just for laughs and find the hidden substance in it. :)**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Down_ _" by_ _Anberlin_ _—_ This is the cry of Tobey's heart, buried so deep that he isn't even aware of it. I'm honestly shocked at how sadly and beautifully it fits. T-T**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Dare You to Move_ _" by_ _Switchfoot_ _—_ This, again, is Becky's gentle challenge to Tobey, but with a new dimension to it now that she is actually growing attached to him. Even though the lyrics themselves don't convey much of a relationship between the singer and the subject, there's just so much passion in the vocals and the music that you can sense a deep concern behind the exhortation that makes it clear how much this person cares for the person they're urging to change. My favorite part is the bridge: "Maybe redemption has stories to tell. Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell. Where can you run to escape from yourself? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Salvation is here."**

 **- _T_ _heme Song: "_ _Getaway Car_ _" by_ _My Favorite Highwa_ _y_ _—_ I was hesitant to even mention this one, because the viewpoint and how it fits jump all over the place, but I really like the feeling it conveys, so I'll just throw it out there anyway. :) In a grievously stripped-down nutshell, the verses are Tobey talking to WordGirl, while the choruses, pre-choruses, and bridge are WordGirl talking to Tobey. There are some lines that don't work _literally_ , like when they start talking about money and cars and whatnot, but the overall meaning is an abstract but meaningful picture of the two of them and where they're at right now. Though he won't admit it, Tobey _wants_ WordGirl to show him the way out of the trap he's in, and she wants to show him that he doesn't need to be a villain in order to find fulfillment and happiness. :)**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Fix You_ _" by_ _Coldplay_ _—_ If I were to pick one song to represent the whole of _Saving Tobey—_ I mean like, the song I'd pick for the end credits if it were a movie—it would probably be this one. It's the substance and beauty of the story in a surprisingly poignant nutshell. It's the compassion that inspired me to write it. It's my feelings. It's Becky's feelings. It's Tobey's feelings. My goodness, this song just resonates with the heartbeat of the story itself. :3**


	15. Desiderata

_**Hey, readers! This chapter (sort of) references the episode 'The Rise of Miss Power.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Grr… That weird site glitch that happened last week made it difficult to reply to my reviews. Hopefully I didn't miss anyone. :(**

 **So, I just recently connected a funny story from real life to _this_ story. When my mom was pregnant with my oldest little sister (I'm the oldest of my siblings) she and my dad didn't know the baby's gender yet and so they had picked out both a boy name and a girl name. Guess what they were? Toby and Becky. o_0 Of course, this meant nothing to me when I was told more than ten years ago, but when I remembered I was like, "WHUUUUUUUUUH?" I had to ask my mom just to make sure I was remembering right, and she got this adorable flabbergasted look on her face and said something like, "Oh my gosh, it WAS!" XP Funnily enough, she had changed her mind after the baby was born and so my sister ended up with a different name altogether. ;)**

* * *

Desiderata [dih-sid- _uh_ - **rey** -t _uh_ ] – things wanted or needed.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Tobey sat in the passenger seat, watching the city slip past outside his window while his mother silently drove. He'd been here in this very place, doing this exact same thing, thousands of times before… So why did it feel different this time?

Thinking of Becky, he frowned and considered that it wasn't even his first time going to her house since discovering that she was WordGirl. He hadn't been _nearly_ this anxious when he'd visited her last week. So what had changed?

Then he remembered her voice, and one of the most recent things she had said to him. _"Wow, Tobey… you_ are _lonely."_

He clenched his fist and turned his eyes from the window down to the upholstery of his seat.

 _Lonely? Me?_

She was wrong.

She didn't know what she was talking about.

And how could she? He hadn't even told her the _real_ reason why he took up villainy… Not _all_ of it, at least. When answering her question he had taken care to leave out the biggest contributing factor to the decision he'd made on that fateful day back in third grade.

Tobey remembered it clearly. The day he became a villain was the same day he first saw WordGirl.

He had brought a little robot to show-and-tell in hopes of intimidating the red-headed girl who always made fun of his voice. During his presentation it malfunctioned spectacularly and destroyed the teacher's desk, provoking the laughter of the whole class and the ire of the teacher. For the first time the surly old woman had asked Tobey a question he couldn't answer. "Why can't you just be _normal_?!"

After that, he had stolen away from school without telling anyone.

As he wandered the dull gray streets, unsure where he should go, he had happened upon a crime in progress by a person he recognized. It was one of the villains who once complimented him on his robots—a man he now knew as Kid Potato.

Grateful for something to distract his preoccupied mind, he had fought his way to the front of the gathered crowd, and there became the only spectator who was smiling. As he watched, entranced by how the villain carried no concern for the negative opinions of others, he thought to himself how much easier life would be if _he_ could be like that. If he could just _not care_ what everyone thought of him, he wouldn't have to try so hard to win their approval. If he could make people afraid of him, he wouldn't have to defend himself all the time. Everyone always talked about how awful villains like Kid Potato were, but from where Tobey stood, life as one of them seemed a lot less awful than what he had now.

Right when it looked like Kid Potato was about to get away after immobilizing half a dozen police officers, WordGirl appeared in a streak of light, pointing at the villain and shouting for him to 'stop right there!'

She hadn't been nearly as confident or experienced back then, but she was every bit as beautiful. Tobey could remember the enraptured trance into which he'd fallen as he watched her battle her foe. After Kid Potato was defeated and tied up in a bent street lamp, WordGirl had given a triumphant smile, ushering forth a noisy crowd of reporters.

She was barraged with inquiries and the flashing of cameras, but she nonetheless honed in on the question of one specific journalist—a boy about her age. He had asked her how it felt to be a rising star in the battle between good and evil… and she had smiled. It was a warm, tender, disarming smile that had made it into the next day's paper. A smile that Tobey had cherished in its still, black and white form ever since. The smile that had captured his heart. She stood there beaming and resolutely asserted with a finger in the air, "Let me just say this to all the villains out there: if you stand in the way of justice for the people of this city, you can bet I'll be there!"

She had pointed out at the crowd, incidentally right at Tobey, and was met with thunderous applause from everyone except him. He was frozen stiff, staring at her with stars in his eyes. An unfamiliar feeling rose up inside him—a hopeful thrill unlike anything he'd felt before. To this day he remembered the thoughts that rushed through his mind right then.

If he stood in the way of justice, she would be there. If he became a villain, he would get to see her. She would come to fight him, and that meant that he would be important to her. Someone she noticed instead of just a face in a crowd of onlookers. With his intelligence and his robots, he could do it… and he would.

Mind churning with thoughts and memories, Tobey raised his head up and stared at the sky through the windshield of his mother's car. _That_ was why he was a villain. It was because of WordGirl, not because he was… lonely.

The more he thought about it, though, the more he couldn't _stop_ thinking about it. His memory of that day had come to revolve so completely around the moment when he first laid eyes on her that he almost didn't even remember the hour before she had appeared, which he had spent walking flustered and sullen along his way with no purpose and no destination… alone.

Tobey shuddered, disturbed at the questions surfacing in his mind. Could it be that WordGirl had been right? Could it be that he really _was_ lonely?

No… No, that didn't make any sense. He was a _villain_. He had neither need nor desire for emotional attachment to people who were beneath him. Just because you were alone didn't mean you were lonely. A person could only be lonely if being alone _bothered_ them, and Tobey was hardly bothered by his lack of relationship with the frustrating likes of his classmates, teachers, and whatever other soft-headed people managed to find their way into his life. The only one he really wanted to be with was…

"…Becky."

Tobey blinked, caught off guard at the sound of his mother's voice. Turning to her, he dazedly muttered, "Huh?"

She turned to furrow a flustered brow at him, then huffed, "I said, today while you're at the Botsfords' house, you had better be mindful of the way you treat Becky. I don't know what happened last time, but I'll hear no more about you making her cry, understand?"

Tobey's chest tightened at the reminder, and he swallowed before submissively mumbling, "Yes, Mother."

Frowning and biting his lip, Tobey turned his eyes once more to the gray leather seat covering, disappointed to find that his loose fists were shaking a little.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Becky once more reviewed her list of anger management exercises, then inhaled deeply and marked Friday off her calendar. The next date on the page—today's date—was circled in pink marker.

"Okay," she said, crossing her fingers on both hands. "Let's do this."

She turned to Bob, who was sitting on her bed holding his copy of the list, and he gave her a victory sign and an energetic chirp.

"Good luck," the Narrator said brightly.

"Thanks," she muttered. "Hey, where have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you in a while—I mean, _heard_ from you—I mean, technically I've _never_ seen you, but… you know what I mean."

"Oh, I've just been hanging back and taking everything in," came his casual answer. "Things haven't been _this_ exciting since Miss Power."

Bob chirped in agreement, and Becky vehemently muttered, "Tell me about it." A thought popped into her head, and she turned up the sparkle in her eyes as she sweetly asked, "By the way, is there any helpful fly-on-the-wall advice you can give me without cheating?"

"Uh… smile a lot?"

Becky gave a humoring grin in lieu of a reply. She took a deep breath, pumping her arms in the air. "Maybe I'm just losing my mind after all this roller-coaster drama, but I have a really good feeling about today."

"Maybe I'll jinx you by saying this, but… so do I."

"Hey, don't get me worrying again, Mister! I've earned some optimism after what I've been through these past two months!"

"Sorry," the Narrator muttered sheepishly.

Becky looked once more at her calendar, and something occurred to her. It had been two months since this whole thing started. That meant that Tobey's birthday was coming up. The last time the thought had crossed her mind she had been too busy wallowing in the depths of despair to do anything with it. Now that she had redoubled her efforts to see Tobey turn over a new leaf, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to find out when her deadline was. She scribbled a quick note to herself at the bottom of her list, then happily raced downstairs with Bob on her heels.

"Are they on their way yet?" she asked as she emerged in the kitchen. Her parents were sitting together at the table drinking coffee while TJ sat on the couch playing a video game, tongue sticking out in intense focus.

"Claire called about half an hour ago, so they should be here any minute," Mom answered.

"Great," Becky said, beaming with enthusiasm. "That means we'll have a full three hours. The game system is already set up, so we can start with that, then move into the backyard for fifteen minutes or so before we—"

"Um, Becky," Dad said out of nowhere, and Becky looked up just in time to see him and her mother exchange a knowing glance. "Would you mind having a seat for a moment?"

He indicated a chair across the round table, equidistant from him and his wife. Becky blinked in surprise and glanced down at Bob, who shrugged and headed for the refrigerator.

"Um… sure." Becky walked over to the table and quietly sat down as her father had asked, wondering what he wanted to talk to her about.

"Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that you and Tobey have finally settled your differences," Dad said in his usual calm, happy tone, "but I'm also a little puzzled that it happened so suddenly."

"Me too," Mom chimed in with a nod. "When Tobey came over just last week, you seemed completely aghast to see him."

Becky tensed. It hadn't occurred to her until now just how abruptly her attitude toward Tobey had changed, or how noticeable it might be.

"Well, I wouldn't say I was _aghast_ to see him," Becky said, trying to sound unconcerned. "I mean, if I was aghast to see him, that would mean I was overwhelmed with shock or struck with terror, as if seeing Tobey was the last thing on Earth that I… would've ever… wanted to…"

She trailed off, cringing as she realized that her definition was an exact description of how she had been acting during Tobey's last visit.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to justify yourself to us," Mom said in a tender, reassuring voice.

Holding a hand to his chest, Dad gently offered, "We just hope you know that you can trust us to understand if there's ever anything you need to talk about."

"R-Right," Becky stammered. "Of course I know that."

"Great," TJ's voice gruffly inserted from across the room, and Becky turned to see that he'd looked up from his game with a resentful expression. "So when are you gonna tell us what that punk did last week that made you cry?"

Becky went rigid. She'd almost forgotten about that.

"TJ!" Mom scolded.

Dad, on the other hand, just casually said, "I must admit, I have been curious. Especially since you requested to have him over again so soon."

Becky hesitated, swallowing nervously. She couldn't explain to them what had happened without confessing that she was WordGirl. She glanced over to Bob, unsure what help she thought he could offer. Alas, he was standing in front of the open refrigerator staring at her, as pale and frozen as the tub of sherbert he'd pulled from the icebox. She was on her own this time.

Becky's pulse pounded in her ears. What should she say? She racked her mind for an excuse, and smiled in relief when at last one occurred to her.

"Oh, that? Tobey had nothing to do with that. I was crying that time because I was afraid that TJ might have broken one of my unicorn figurines again."

"Huh?" TJ blasted in surprise.

"Oh, is _that_ all it was?" Dad laughed, looking relieved as he glanced over at Mom. "See, Honey, I told you it was nothing."

Clearly unhappy with the explanation, TJ loudly complained, "Seriously, Becky? It was _one time_. Can't you just let it go already?" He folded his arms and settled once more into the sofa, grumbling in annoyance. "Guess this means I don't have to attack Tobey with my pudding shooter anymore."

Becky gave a weak laugh, feeling a little sick all of a sudden. She didn't understand _why_. She always lied to her parents to protect her secret identity, and consequently to protect _them_. It had become a way of life for her—the _only_ way she could possibly maintain the double life she led. Lying for that reason had always been so exceptional in her mind that it didn't even feel like lying… But just now, it had.

This wasn't like the typical rushing off to fight crime under the pretext of a school project. Her family came to her out of concern, specifically asking for the truth, and she had met their consideration with a bold-faced lie. Something about that just felt wrong no matter how she tried to justify it, even though her mother had said she didn't have to.

Bob came up beside her and gave a worried squeak, jarring her focus. She swallowed, and took a deep, steadying breath.

"I'm fine, Bob," she said, lying yet again. "Let's just focus on Tobey for now."

Bob nodded, still looking a little pensive, and said nothing more.

Becky swallowed the unmistakable feeling of guilt rising up in her throat and resolutely clenched her fists. She knew in her heart that she couldn't just stick this issue on the shelf forever, but now was _not_ the time to deal with it. She had more important things to worry about.

No sooner had she determined this in her mind, the doorbell rang. Becky watched as her mother went to answer it, feeling nervous and hopeful at the same time. To her surprise, Tobey didn't immediately saunter in when his mother greeted Sally at the door. Rather, he stepped inside quietly, with a somber look on his face.

"Hi, Tobey," Becky said with a wave.

He glanced up at her, then averted his eyes once more, tamely greeting, "Hello."

Becky tilted her head at him. 'Why so shy all of a sudden?' she wanted to ask, but thought better of it. He probably just came from a lecture by his mother, she figured, and not a few seconds later, her suspicions were confirmed.

Tobey flinched at the hand his mother placed on his shoulder, and stared nervously at the floor as she sternly warned, "I mean it now, Tobey. _Behave_."

And with that she nodded her goodbyes to Becky's parents and quietly took her leave.

Becky gave Tobey a sympathetic smile, and tucked her list away in the pocket of her skirt. "Ready?"

Tobey glanced up at her with an uncertain look on his face.

« ... »

 _You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart._

— _Jeremiah 29:13_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _"_ _Things haven't been this exciting since Miss Power"_ _—_ This wasn't much of a reference, so it hardly even needs an explanation. 'The Rise of Miss Power' is arguably the most epic episode in the series, which isn't surprising since it's the only episode that is 4 parts long.**

 **- _Kid Potato_ _—_ You'd be surprised at how much I stressed over picking a villain for Tobey's flashback. It was difficult because the scene takes place before the series begins, and most of the show's villains meet WordGirl for the first time in their introduction episode, which would create a continuity error if I introduced them earlier than that. I may be fudging it a bit with Kid Potato, because his introduction episode 'Meat My Dad' _sort of_ seems to imply that WG is meeting him for the first time, but her reaction in the scene where he shows up didn't seem to me like it was necessarily the first time she'd seen him. If anything, she just looked surprised that he was The Butcher's dad. So I'm going to say for the sake of this story that she had fought him a year or so before that. Heck, maybe it was just that one time and she forgot about him after that until he came back to town to check on his son. *shrugs* I dunno… If anyone who knows the series better than I do has another idea for a villain to stick in that scene, I'd be happy to hear it. :)**

 **\- ... _one specific journalist..._ _—_ Lol, did I just explain Tobey's crush on WordGirl AND Becky's crush on Scoops in the same scene? :P Guess I'll let you guys decide for yourselves. ;)  
**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Boulevard of Broken Dreams_ _" by_ _Green Day_ _—_ If you look this one up, please search for the radio edit. I'm not nearly as sensitive to swearing as your average evangelical Christian, but I still think the one random F-bomb in this song is completely stupid and uncalled for. -_- Anyway, you can probably guess without even listening to the song that it's about Tobey's struggle with loneliness. I like how the talk of walking down streets alone perfectly parallels the flashback I wrote for this chapter. T-T Shameless plug: my _other_ super-talented little sister (believe it or not, I have three of them XP) did an awesome acoustic cover of this song. If you'd like to check it out just Youtube 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams Melanie Anne Cover.'**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Top of the World_ _" by_ _Greek Fire_ _—_ This song is about how fame and the allure of celebrity can destroy a person, but if you tweak the way you apply the lyrics, it's a hauntingly vivid description of what's been going on in Tobey's heart since he made Becky cry several chapters ago. He's at an important crossroads, finding that getting everything he thought he wanted hasn't made him happy the way he imagined it would, and now he's just desperately trying to hold onto his flawed self image while he feels like his world is starting to fall apart. *sniffles***

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Breathe You In_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ On a _slightly_ more upbeat note, this song is about how Tobey is finally, slowly, I daresay even _subconsciously_ beginning to accept this new season of change in his life, and also recognizing that he needs Becky's help to get him through it.**


	16. Evanesce

_**Hey, readers! This chapter doesn't reference ANY episodes! O.O I know, shock and awe, right? :P From now on when this happens, I won't bother including this header. :)**_

 **Foreword:**

 **I've noticed a trend with WordGirl fanfiction of spelling robots 'robuts' when Tobey says it to emphasize his accent. No offense to any authors who do this, but I chose not to because it always seemed a bit silly to me. Recently, however, as I've been reading this story aloud to my family, I've noticed that I tend to forget to say 'robots' the way Tobey does when I'm talking for him, and then I have to correct myself. DX So, while the practice of purposely misspelling a single word in a character's vocabulary still doesn't appeal to me, I have been forced to acknowledge the utilitarian purpose behind it.**

… **That wasn't important to the story at all, I just wanted to get it off my chest. :P**

* * *

Evanesce [ev- _uh_ - **nes** ] – to disappear gradually; vanish; fade away.

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"I know playing video games always helps me get out _my_ aggressions." Becky explained as she led Tobey into the living room, where TJ was already parked in front of the television. "You can be as destructive as you want in the game without doing any actual damage."

She handed Tobey a controller, which he took almost hesitantly.

"Don't tell me you've never played a video game before," Becky chuckled.

Tobey frowned and defensively muttered, "Of course not! Why would a boy genius like me waste time on a brain-rotting activity such as this?"

Becky shrugged, then sat down on the couch and picked up another controller as she snidely muttered, "Suit yourself. Guess I'll just have to play with TJ, then."

"Cool!" TJ exclaimed, playing right into her plan. "I call the big muscley guy with the giant axe!"

Tobey made a grumpy frown and pulled the controller away when TJ tried to take it from him. He then stepped over to the couch and sat decidedly next to Becky, who looked away and somehow managed to contain an amused giggle.

A few minutes into the game, however, Becky began to have second thoughts.

"Hit her! Hit her!" TJ yelled, bobbing wildly at Tobey's side while the self-proclaimed boy genius struggled to figure out how to use his controller. "Not with your fist, your sword, Dummy! Strafe right! No left! Watch out for her—!"

"Would you kindly mind your own business?" Tobey snapped at TJ, taking his eyes off the screen, and Becky sighed as Tobey's character once more keeled over in front of hers. She had barely even been _trying_ that time.

Tobey yelped in frustration when the big red K.O. sign vaulted onto the screen for the thirty-seventh time. His face flushed with anger and he clutched his controller so hard that his fingers became even paler than usual. Grunting angrily, he tried to throw it at the wall, but it fell harmlessly to the floor a few feet in front of him.

He stomped his foot in a rage and pulled a _d_ _ifferent_ controller out of his pocket, prompting Becky to jump to her feet and grab his wrist.

"Maybe we should do something else," she suggested.

« ... »

Out in the backyard, Bob was waiting for them atop a pile of broken appliances that WordGirl had gathered from a local junkyard. He waved and hopped down to the grass as the two children approached, and Becky noted the confused look on Tobey's face. Bob grabbed a microwave without a door as well as a baseball bat that stood leaning against the junk pile, then scampered over and held the objects out to Becky.

"If you break stuff that's already broken, there's no harm done," she said, situating the dysfunctional appliance on the ground at Tobey's feet.

Tobey looked doubtfully at it and softly murmured, "I don't think it would be much fun watching my robot smash something so—"

Becky cut him off by dropping the baseball bat in his hands, and he fumbled under the weight of it while she heedlessly instructed, "Break it yourself. Trust me, it'll be _way_ more fun than just watching."

Tobey regarded Becky with an uncertain look, but she just glanced expectantly from him to the waiting target.

Taking a determined breath, Tobey awkwardly hefted the baseball bat over his shoulder, lost his balance, and fell over backwards with a pathetic yelp. Fuming, he hopped back to his feet and kicked the microwave hard. The machine barely moved, but Tobey cried out in pain, cradling his foot, and once more fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Becky sighed and smacked her face. This was going to be harder than she thought.

« ... »

Bob was beginning to look discouraged as he grabbed the pillow off Becky's bed and handed it to Tobey, who now looked more confused than ever.

"Try putting that over your face and then screaming into it," Becky said. "I've heard it can help calm your temper."

Tobey raised a doubtful eyebrow, but nonetheless took a deep breath before obediently belting a muffled scream into the pillow in his hands.

"Well?" Becky asked when his face reemerged. "Did it work?"

Tobey shook his head and sullenly muttered, "I have no idea."

Out of nowhere another pillow soared into Tobey, knocking him off his feet. Before Becky could wonder where it had come from, she heard her brother's rambunctious voice call out, "Pillow fight!"

He leaped into sight and barraged his sister with the pillow Tobey had dropped on the floor. Becky backed slowly toward the wall, holding her arms up against her brother's continuing onslaught. "TJ! Ow! What do you think you're—?"

"Leave her be, you scoundrel!" Tobey blasted, sounding playfully serious, and the two siblings turned to see that he was back on his feet and brandishing the pillow TJ had left behind.

"Oh yeah?" TJ smugly retorted, gripping hard on the fluffy white edges of his weapon, "What's a wimp like _you_ gonna do about it?"

Tobey smiled menacingly. "I'll _show_ you."

He threw his own pillow at TJ, who effortlessly knocked it aside with his own. "Ha!" the nine-year-old exclaimed, "Is that all you've—?"

He didn't get to finish before Tobey tackled him, and the two boys began tussling on the floor, tangled up with the two pillows. Becky watched this display with a combination of worry and amusement, and the confused moan that Bob heaved at her side told her that he was doing likewise. Before she could decide whether or not she should intervene, they broke apart and scrambled to their feet, each clutching a pillow.  
"It's only fair to warn you," TJ whispered threateningly, wearing a mischievous grin, "I am a world-renowned master of Pillow-fu."

"Well," Tobey chuckled. "I certainly don't have to warn you what _I'm_ a master of."

With that they charged each other once more, and Becky's room erupted into a battlefield. She and Bob both shrieked when a poorly aimed strike hit one of her shelves, nearly unseating her most valuable unicorn figure, and Becky raced over to steady it before it's rocking little form could fall to the ground. She breathed a sigh of relief, then began gathering the figures one-by-one and depositing them into Bob's arms, shouting over her shoulder, "Watch it, you guys! You almost broke my…"

She didn't finish, transfixed by the shocking sight before her. The two boys were still going at it with all their might, threatening to knock over anything unfortunate enough to fall in the path of their frenzied pillows… and Tobey was _laughing_. Not the maniacal, evil laugh that she'd heard a million times before, but a simple, happy, playful laugh, the likes of which she'd _never_ heard before. Not from him _,_ anyway.

 _Wow,_ she thought, forgetting her precious toys for a moment. _He's actually… having fun._

She ducked out of the way of a feather-stuffed missile, which hit the shelf behind her and jarred her focus back to the fate of her unicorns. While TJ was fetching his weapon from the floor beside her, she was nervously checking that nothing had fallen. Sighing in relief, she finished gathering up the figurines until Bob had them all in an awkward armful.

"Put those somewhere safe, will you?" she asked, and with a nod Bob carefully took his leave.

Becky slipped out of the room after him, glanced up and down the hall to make sure Mom and Dad weren't around, then took to the air. She flashed through the house and returned to her room a few seconds later, laden with pillows that she'd snagged from the other bedrooms.

"Two against one?" she heard Tobey protest. "That's not fair!"

She glanced around the pile of pillows obstructing her view, and had to chuckle at the scene. Somehow Bob had managed to get back before her and had joined the fray, uniting with TJ against Tobey, who now found himself empty-handed and backed against the wall while the enemy closed in on him.

"Tobey, catch!" Becky shouted, tossing a pillow over the heads of Bob and TJ. It smacked Tobey in the face rather than falling into his outstretched arms, but he caught it before it could drop to the floor and poised himself once more for battle as Becky rushed to his side. "Come on, partner! We'll dispatch these ruffians!"

"Oh, please!" TJ laughed. "A girl and a wimpy nerd against the Pillow-fu master and a four-handed throwing machine? I don't think so, right Bob?"

TJ turned expectantly to his own partner, but Bob didn't look so sure. Undeterred, TJ raised up his no-edged sword and vehemently called out, "To victory!"

Spirits soared as the fight carried on, and Becky couldn't have been more grateful that she had superspeed with which to clean the room later. Everything was going perfectly fine until she got a little overzealous throwing her pillow at Bob, and when he squealed and jumped out of the way it hit Tobey instead, sending him flying into the wall behind him.

TJ marveled for a moment over how she could've thrown the pillow so hard, but amidst her fuss over whether Tobey was okay, she managed to skirt around the issue. Tobey insisted he was fine, then went silent as she grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet.

The pillow fight didn't resume after that, but it had given Becky an idea.

« ... »

Back in the living room, Tobey regarded Becky with a puzzled stare as she once more handed him a game controller and sat him down in front of the TV. He knew she was _far_ too intelligent to have simply forgotten, but…

"I thought we tried this already," he observed, staring at the device in his hands like it had offended him.

"We tried a _fighting_ game," Becky replied. "We're going to try playing a game where we work together."

"Ooh! Ooh!" her brother exclaimed, jumping up and down. "My new WordGirl game has a co-op mode where one person is WordGirl and the other is Captain Huggyface."

"Perfect! Will you set it up for us?"

"Sure!"

Tobey gave Becky a bemused glance while her brother hustled to get the game going. "You want _me_ to play a _WordGirl_ game? Isn't that a little… ironic?"

"Hey, this game is awesome! It's not stupid at all!" TJ snapped, blocking the introduction scene on the screen with his indignant stance.

"No, TJ, he didn't say ' _mo_ ronic,' he said ' _i_ ronic,'" Becky clarified. She stepped up behind TJ and grasped his shoulders, gently pushing him over to the couch. "Irony is when something sounds or happens the opposite of the way you would expect."

Her brother smiled, grinning at Tobey. "Oh, I get it! It's ironic because Tobey is an actual villain who fights WordGirl in real life, but in the game he would be fighting villains and playing as WordGirl!"

Tobey rolled his eyes and sardonically muttered, "Figured that out all by yourself, did you?"

"Oh, come on, Tobey, it'll be fun," Becky urged, patting him on the arm as she sat down beside him. "You can be WordGirl."

Tobey felt a little warm in the face and countered as stubbornly as he could, "What makes you think—I'd _want_ to be WordGirl?"

Becky snorted an adorable laugh, and he could tell she was relishing the irony as she confidently stated, "Fine then, _I'll_ be WordGirl."

TJ finally sat down on Tobey's other side and said, both obliviously _and_ ironically, "No offense, Becky, but you're _terrible_ at being WordGirl."

Becky made an offended gasp, and Tobey suppressed a chuckle.

Out of nowhere the monkey gave an exuberant holler, flinging his arms in the air.

"And naturally Bob gets to be Captain Huggyface," TJ said, as though he'd understood him. The monkey beamed, so maybe he actually _had_.

"But wait," Tobey said, noticing an incongruity in the conversation. "I thought only _two_ could play this game."

"We take turns, duh," Becky's brat of a brother sneered, rolling his eyes.

Before Tobey could retort, Becky jumped in wearing a reproachful frown. "TJ, it's a legitimate question. He's never played video games before today."

Tobey blinked, dumbstruck in surprise.

TJ gave a smug snort. "Yeah, I'm _pretty_ _sure_ taking turns was invented before video games, sis."

"So I'll play with Tobey first," Becky said, ignoring his point. "Then he can play with TJ, and then Huggy—I mean Bob! Bob, who will be _playing_ as Huggy, not—not the _actual_ Huggy…"

She gave a nervous giggle, and the monkey smacked his face with his palm. Tobey just rolled his eyes, wondering how she'd managed to keep her identity secret this long.

"Hey, how come _Tobey_ gets to play every time?" TJ whined.

Mystery solved.

"Because he's our guest, and he's new to the game," Becky said, folding her arms. "Once he gets the hang of it, we'll rotate him through like everyone else. Fair?"

TJ grudgingly flopped onto the sofa next to Tobey. "I _guess_."

Becky started to explain how the game worked, but Tobey found it difficult to pay attention. An unfamiliar warmth was building inside him, creating a hazy fog in his brain. He wasn't used to having someone else defend him, let alone someone like _her_. He supposed she might fight with TJ almost as much as she fought with villains, but still… All those times just now when she had taken his side against her own brother had made Tobey feel… special.

It was different this time than it was during one of their routine hero-versus-villain showdowns. He didn't just feel like he mattered to her. Right now he really felt like… she _cared_ about him.

Becky was obliged to explain the game two or three times for her suddenly scatterbrained guest, and by the time Tobey finally grasped the concept a twinge of annoyance had crept into her tone. It still sounded like music to Tobey's ears, though. He had no difficulty whatsoever tuning into Becky's voice and ignoring the annoyed groans of her brother and sidekick.

Once they got started Tobey found the game to be as challenging as it was frustrating, but with Becky at his side helping him along, it was also bliss. Now and then she would excitedly shout instructions or praise. Things like, "Watch out behind you!" or, "Good, you got it!" or "Stop! That's not a wall, it's a chasm!" or "Don't worry, I've got you!"

Tobey felt a flutter in his chest when she'd said _that_ one.

After what felt like only a fleeting moment Becky paused the game to look up at the clock, and Tobey groaned in disappointment as she passed her controller in front of him to her brother.

"Okay, TJ, your turn."

"That's okay, Becky," the boy said with a dismissive wave. "I think I'm having more fun just watching Tobey. I've never _seen_ anyone stink so bad."

Tobey's somberness instantly evaporated and he shot to his feet. " _Excuse_ me?!"

Undeterred, TJ crassly added, "I thought you were supposed to be _good_ with remotes."

Tobey flamed and whipped out his robot remote, angrily yelling, "Oh, I'll show _you_ good with re—!"

The device flew out of his hand impossibly fast and Tobey turned just in time to see Becky pitch it across the room without taking her eyes off the TV screen. Her sidekick bounded after it and snatched it out of the air, then rushed off into the unseen reaches of the house.

Tobey blinked in bewilderment, and before he could finish processing what had just happened the monkey clambered back into the room, returning empty-handed after depositing the remote who-knew-where. Becky offered him her controller, but the creature chuckled impishly—chimpishly?—and declined as TJ had.

"All right then," Becky said, turning to Tobey as she warmly added, "I guess it's just you and me."

Once more Tobey blinked, wondering why that silver lining hadn't occurred to him earlier.

The afternoon passed far too quickly after that. Under Becky's gentle tutelage it didn't take long for Tobey to master the basic game mechanics, and for the first time in his life he found himself tempted to play dumb—just to keep TJ from stepping in, of course. Before he'd settled his dilemma, the kid excitedly murmured, "Oh, here it comes!"

"Here what comes?" Tobey asked.

"Better go grab a snack, Bob," TJ suggested, deliberately ignoring the question. "This is gonna be good."

The monkey chirped with a smile and scampered off.

"What? What's going on?" Tobey exclaimed, incited with annoyance and curiosity.

Becky gave a nervous chuckle and explained in a cautious tone, "It's just that the next villain we're fighting is…"

An irritating voice called Tobey's attention to the screen where a giant robot had appeared, mounted by a grating depiction of a skinny blonde boy shaking his fist at the sky.

"Is that supposed to be _me?_ " Tobey asked, furrowing his brow at the TV.

As if in response to his question the character on screen screamed in an insultingly fake accent, "I'm going to destroy everything because I'm mad about something!"

Tobey squeezed his controller, seething. "I don't sound like that!"

"Uh, yeah you do," TJ countered flippantly, reclining on the couch with his elbows sticking up in the air and the back of his head resting in the palms of his hands.

"I do _not!_ " Tobey huffed. "They didn't even bother to come up with a reason why I'm angry!"

"Does it matter?" TJ muttered with a shrug.

Becky sighed. "Why don't we let Bob and TJ play this part?"

Before Tobey could decide how to respond, TJ jumped in once more. "No way, Becky, I wanna watch _Tobey_ play this level. I mean, come on, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! _I've_ already beaten him, like, fifteen times."

Becky grinned and looked off into space as she muttered under her breath, "Funny, so have I."

The monkey gave a chimpish laugh as he returned to the couch, carrying enough unhealthy snacks to give everyone in the room a heart attack, and tossed a few to TJ.

Tobey heaved a flustered sigh and decided to try and be optimistic, if only to keep Becky from abandoning the game. "Well, at least they saved me for the game's finale."

TJ gave a condescending chuckle and muttered in a salt-in-the-wound sort of tone, "Oh, you're not even _close_ to the end. This is a mini-boss."

"They made me a _mini_ -boss?" Tobey blasted. The explanation of that particular game mechanic was one of the few things he'd retained from Becky's instructions. "Who's the final boss?"

"Dr. Two-Brains."

"Oh, that's ridiculous! I'm every bit as threatening as that rodent-brained turophile!"

"Don't worry, Tobey," TJ cheerfully reassured, "You show up again later with even _more_ robots!"

Tobey regarded him with an annoyed frown. He couldn't tell whether the little minx was being sincere or sarcastic.

Becky chuckled and said with a disarming smile, "Tobey, it's a _game_. Do you want to play or do you want to complain?"

Tobey grimaced at her, then slowly exhaled his frustration and turned his attention back to the sorry interpretation on the TV screen. "Oh, very well. Let's just get this battle over with."

At first Tobey thought he was only anxious to finish the level because he was annoyed by the way the game portrayed him. As he played, however, he found himself growing… uncomfortable. Something about the idea of fighting himself was disconcerting. It disturbed him on a level he didn't understand, and _that_ disturbed him even more.

He tried to shake the feeling, but every time the on-screen version of him screamed in his awful voice and attacked WordGirl with a painfully predictable attack, he couldn't help a cold tremor deep in the pit of his stomach.

 _I'm not like that,_ he kept telling himself. _I'm not…_

Gritting his teeth, he silently wished for the mini-boss battle to end so they could move on to fighting someone else. _Anyone_ else. At this point he probably wouldn't even mind being followed by The Amazing Rope Guy.

Before the battle was decided, however, Becky's mother came into the room with his mother at her side and announced that it was time for him to go home.

"What?" he protested, nearly losing track of his accent in his distress. "But I just got here!"

"Dear, you 'just got here' three and a half hours ago," Mother said with an endearing chuckle.

Tobey wilted and found his gaze resting on the controller in his hands. He'd been having so much fun… up until that last level of the WordGirl game, anyway. Why did he have to leave on such a sour note when he was just starting to enjoy himself?

"Cheer up, Tobey," Becky gently cooed, patting him on the back. "There'll be other times."

Tobey blinked with interest, looking up at her as if for confirmation of what she'd said. Other times? That meant that… she wanted to see him again? Of course she _would_ see him again, but… did she _want_ to?

"Go on now, Tobey," his mother instructed with a rare smile. I'll be along shortly. I just need to talk to Sally for a moment."

Tobey sighed, but nonetheless reluctantly got up from the sofa and headed for the door. If his mother wasn't ready to leave, she could at least let him wait here with Becky instead of out in the car with nothing to do. He was tempted to ask Becky to come out and wait with him, but he didn't want to appear weak, so he held his head high and walked alone to the front door.

"Oh, Mrs. McCallister," he heard Becky's voice faintly from behind him as he passed through the front door. "When is Tobey's birthday?"

His heart skipped a beat, and he stopped in his tracks. Had he just heard what he _thought_ he'd heard? He flattened himself against the doorpost where he couldn't be seen from inside the house, and held his breath as he strained to listen.

His mother took a moment to answer, and when she did her voice sounded a little sad for some reason. "Oh, it's May 16th."

"The 16th," Becky repeated, sounding enthusiastic. "Thanks! I'll remember that."

Tobey stood frozen in that spot, lost in a mental haze, until he heard his mother's footsteps heading toward him. Gasping in panic, he dashed to the car, dove into his seat, and buckled his seat belt before he breathed out.

Moments later his mother opened her door and glided behind the steering wheel. She turned to face him, donning a quizzical expression, and Tobey flinched nervously when she reached out and placed a hand on his forehead.

"Sweetheart, are you feeling all right?" she asked, her fingers cold against his skin. "Your face is as red as radishes."

« ... »

 _Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day._

— _2 Corinthians 4:16_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Never played video games?_ _—_ I fabricated this detail about Tobey's history because it made sense to me considering the type of folks he and his mother are. In Tobey's introduction short, 'Play Date,' he even implies that his family doesn't own a television. I don't _think_ I've contradicted the canon with this, but there are still quite a few episodes of the show I haven't seen, so hopefully I haven't missed one that proves me wrong.**

 **- _"_ _T_ _hat's not a wall, it's a chasm!"_ _—_ This is a long-time inside joke amongst me and my youngest brother and sister (they're the 'siblings' you guys keep hearing about—the ones helping me write this story). We were playing Ico a few years back and during one of the really dark levels I had a hard time figuring out how to advance because I mistook the empty road ahead of me for a gaping hole in the ground. They've never let me live that down. *-* Now whenever I space out and miss something that should be obvious, they yell, "Chasm!" XP**

 **- _Tobey's Birthday_ _—_ I took the liberty of making this up. :P The date I chose isn't important, so it's flexible if anyone has any ideas for a date that makes more sense or has more significance to the story. My only guideline was that it needed to be around late spring, because the story starts s few months prior and because I wanted it to be no more than a few months before Becky's birthday (my reasoning is in my Author's Notes for chapter 1). Needless to say, Becky's birthday episodes seem to be set in summer. Guess I'll have to make up _her_ birthday next. DX**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Soldier_ _" by_ _Ing_ _r_ _id Michaelson_ _—_ This song might have been better placed on the last chapter, but I didn't think of it until now, so whatevs. :P It's a pretty self-explanatory depiction of Tobey's internal conflict, but with more hope coming through.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Set Me On Fire_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ This is about how Becky is starting to get through Tobey's defenses and meet him in a place where he is sensitive and vulnerable, and although he is a bit uncomfortable about that, his discomfort is outbalanced tremendously by his joy at finally having someone in his life who he can have that intimate connection with. :3**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Nothing I've Ever Known_ _" by_ _Bryan Adams_ _—_ This song is about how Tobey feels about how he feels about Becky. :P As their relationship is changing, so are his feelings. He's always known that he likes her—or at least that he likes WordGirl—but now he is starting to understand _why_ , and that is at once both exhilarating and unnerving now that the future is becoming so uncertain. I love how the song for the most part is very sweet and hopeful, but it ends on an open-ended note that trails off almost ominously…**


	17. Ambivalent

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Guess Who's Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner' and 'Tobey Goes Good.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Last week one of my anonymous reviewers, Aquamarine Gem, mentioned that she thought May was a good month for Tobey's birthday since emerald, the birthstone for May, is traditionally symbolic of love and rebirth. O.O So, without even realizing it, I totally picked the perfect month! XD Maybe I should've made the actual date May 27th, since that was the day I posted the chapter. :P Anyway now that I'm all enamored with the idea of birthstones and their meanings, I'm torn between going with AG's suggestion of having Becky's birthstone be ruby (which represents love, health, and wisdom) and peridot (which represents power or strength). My brain and my heart are really wrestling on this one… Considering the sentimental nature of the story, Ruby might seem like a no-brainer, but since Becky is a superhero, it seems like a missed opportunity not to represent her with a gemstone that means power. Plus, I just really like the _word_ 'peridot,' and since this is a word-based fandom, I can't help but feel like that should be a factor. Plus, there's also the minor fact that peridot is also green and is actually nicknamed the 'evening emerald.' ;P**

 **Aquamarine Gem (which is _my_ birthstone, btw XP) also mentioned that TJ thinks Tobey's robots are really cool, but she didn't say where the series establishes that. If there is an episode that shows this detail, I'd like to see it, but I really don't have time to fish through the whole series looking for it. Does anyone know what episode she's talking about?**

* * *

Ambivalent [am- **biv** - _uh_ -l _uh_ nt] – having mixed feelings about someone or something; being unable to choose between two (usually opposing) courses of action.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

This last had been the most wonderful, and most confusing week of Tobey's life.

Becky was true to her word, and had given him a reward each time he had resisted the urge to go for his remote in response to a frustrating incident at school. One time she had given him an ice cream sandwich from her lunch, another time a key to the city, and most recently a prize that she said she had found at the bottom of a cereal box. Granted, sometimes all she had on hand were little doodads nearly as useless as a bobby pin, but to Tobey they were all priceless treasures.

A few days ago, when he had been in particularly good spirits, he tauntingly shouted out his window, "Oh, WordGirl! I feel like destroying something!"

Seconds later she had zipped over to his house and shrewdly muttered, "Nice try," before giving him a playful pat on the head. In all honesty, that had been one of his favorite rewards thus far.

She had become quite adept at discerning whether he was sincere or not, but that was fine with him. He didn't care if he couldn't get her to do exactly as he wanted, because just knowing that she would come to him of her own freewill was enough to tickle him pink.

Tobey had never felt so happy in his life… and yet… something was bothering him.

He didn't know why. There was no reason for him to feel anything but joy. He was getting everything he'd ever wanted… However, in quiet moments when there was nothing to distract him, it came back. That haunting question he'd managed for a time to forget.

 _What now?_

As he sat in class one morning, tuning out yet another boring lesson about some mathematical principle he already knew, he looked down at his desk and the drawing of Becky that had found its way onto his school assignment. He had started with her face, and was now adding the red helmet that transformed the picture into one of WordGirl.

Tobey glanced to his left and watched Becky tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she thoughtfully tapped her pencil eraser against her lips. All these years, she had been right there by his side. How could he have missed it? Overnight the girl who he had overlooked a thousand times had become a cynosure from which he could scarcely look away. Thinking back on all the times when he had battled WordGirl one day and seen Becky at school the next, he realized that there was now a huge new dimension to their relationship that he had never really considered. Expanding his definition of WordGirl to include Becky Botsford had seemed so simple a few weeks ago. Now, in light of everything that had happened since then, he found himself wondering for the first time what she really thought of him… _before_ he knew her secret.

As soon as class was dismissed he cupped his hand and whispered urgently to her, "Can I talk to you in private?"

She blinked curiously, but nodded.

They made their way to a deserted hall away from prying ears, and once they were alone she softly asked, "What's on your mind?"

Tobey took a deep breath, and got right to the point. "Now that I know you're WordGirl, I've been thinking back on all the times I saw you as Becky in the past."

"Uh-huh," she said. "And...?"

Tobey swallowed and met her beautiful eyes with what must have been a distant look in his own.

"A lot of things suddenly make more sense," he said, a thread of embarrassment leaking into his voice. "But some things… are actually puzzling to me now that I know."

Becky gave an understanding smile. "Like what?"

"Well, like… Thanksgiving."

Tobey took a deep breath as he reflected on that night. It had been one of the happiest nights of his life, but as he remembered it now with a fresh perspective, he felt confused. Perhaps even a little bit… ashamed.

"That night, when I left with my robots," he explained. "You told me I shouldn't count on WordGirl to show up, because she was probably enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with her family and wouldn't want to come fight me."

He paused to chuckle at the irony, trying not to sound as awkward as he felt. "You obviously didn't want to come face me," he went on, looking deep into her eyes as he somberly asked, "Why _did_ you?"

Becky's lips curved into an amused grin. "Aside from not wanting you to destroy the city, you mean?"

Tobey said nothing, despondently wondering if that _was_ the only reason. Becky's expression grew contemplative for a moment, and she hummed thoughtfully while Tobey waited with rapt attention for her answer.

"Well," she murmured at last. "Even though I was _really_ irritated with you that night… I still didn't want you to be isolated somewhere waiting for WordGirl while I was eating dinner with my family."

Tobey blinked, and that familiar warm glow ignited inside of him once more.

"You didn't… want me to be isolated?" he asked. His voice, to his own dismay, sounded small and devoid of its usual confidence.

"Oh, isolated means separated from or set apart from others. I was saying I didn't want you to be alone."

She'd said it again, and it had just as much impact the second time. Tobey was so overwhelmed that he couldn't summon the pluck to retort that he already knew what 'isolated' meant. At the time he'd thought nothing of the fact that WordGirl came to fight him. She _always_ came to fight him. Now, knowing that she hadn't wanted to come but had come anyway for _his_ sake… Well, he just wasn't sure _how_ that made him feel. It felt good… and bad at the same time. How was that even possible?

Becky waited for a moment, and when he didn't speak she walked past him, casually saying, "Come on, Tobey. I don't want to be late to lunch and miss out on the peas."

« ... »

Tobey sat beside Becky at a round lunchroom table, grimacing in disbelief as she happily shoveled away mouthful after mouthful of his least-favorite food. The only other people at the table were her two friends—the ones who had preceded him in learning her secret. Truth be told, he was still a little sore about that.

"So, I got this new digital camera for my birthday," Scoops babbled, Tobey barely paying attention, "and it's already broken! I don't even know what happened; it just stopped working."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Becky offered sympathetically as Tobey casually spooned his own peas onto her tray.

"Mmm," Tobey murmured, feeling he should agree with her even though he really couldn't care less about the petty troubles of her undeserving friends.

Violet smiled and looked straight at him. "Hey," she suggested, "Maybe Tobey can fix it!"

Tobey met her expectant gaze with an annoyed stare, but before he could say anything about what a waste of his time and genius such a task would be, Becky happily bubbled, "Yeah! I bet he could! How about it, Tobey?"

Tobey felt suddenly stuck. His ego groaned at the thought of being reduced to pro bono tech support, but Becky's entreating smile made him feel compelled to bow to her every whim. As it turned out, Scoops jumped in before he could decide how to respond.

"Oh, that's okay," he said, winking at Violet. "Robots and cameras are two _completely_ different things. He probably doesn't know how to fix something like this."

This time Tobey's ego screamed. Then _he_ nearly screamed. " _Excuse_ me?"

"No worries, Tobey," Scoops said with a smug look on his irritating face. "I mean, you can't be good at _everything_."

"Give me that!" Tobey huffed, snatching the camera right out of the other boy's hands. He turned it over a few times, shook it next to his ear, then pulled a precision screwdriver from his pocket and opened it up. He enjoyed the nervous look that graced Scoops' face as he tinkered inside the tiny machine. Moments later, he closed it up and tossed it back to its owner, who yelped and clumsily caught it.

Scoops turned the camera on and began fiddling with the controls. His big mouth quickly stretched into an excited grin. "Whoa… It's good as new!"

Recognizing an opening, Tobey put on his best sinister smirk and suggestively replied, "Oh, it's _better_ than new."

Scoops blinked twice. The grin fell from his face, which was suddenly even paler than it had been a few seconds ago, and eyed the camera in his hands as though it might explode. The girls joined him in gawking at Tobey, wearing matching inquisitive stares.

Tobey let the awkward silence linger for a moment, then casually said, "That was a joke."

"Oh," Violet murmured in that annoying wispy voice of hers.

Scoops gave a nervous chuckle and wiped his forehead. "Of course it was," he muttered unconvincingly. "Anyway, thanks for fixing this."

"See, Tobey?" Becky exclaimed out of nowhere, sounding proud and clapping him almost painfully on the shoulder. "Doesn't it feel better to fix things rather than break things?"

Tobey stared back at her, but didn't know what to say. Again, he felt like he should agree with her, but wasn't sure if he actually did.

"Psst!" Violet whispered loudly, cupping her mouth toward him. "That would be your cue to say, 'Yes, Becky. It feels waaaaay better.'"

Tobey made a flustered face and dryly muttered, "Honestly, you're making me want to go destroy something right now."

"Are you _going_ to?" Becky asked in a soft but warning tone.

Tobey looked away and heaved a long, annoyed sigh. "I suppose not."

"Good boy," she said with a contented smile. She then reached into her pocket and handed him a 'Vote for Sally' pin from her mother's last reelection campaign. Now she was just being ridiculous, but before he could say so she gave him another pat on the head and rendered him speechless.

Scoops and Violet blinked in confusion at this exchange, but neither of them said anything.

Thinking back on Becky's question, Tobey realized with a pang of frustration that he wasn't sure _how_ he felt. A little tremor of satisfaction certainly rushed through him, but it wasn't because he'd fixed something. It was because he had done something that captured Becky's interest. Something that made her happy.

He wasn't used to making Becky happy. In fact, he'd grown comfortably used to his efforts to capture her interest making her _angry_ , and on occasion he even tried to interpret her anger as happiness. Actually making her clearly and visibly happy, though? He'd only managed _that_ a handful of times, and it had never registered before now just how different it truly made him feel.

Thinking about that feeling, as well as Becky's not-so-subtle encouragement for him to turn from his evil ways, tickled to life yet another frustrating dilemma.

He no longer needed to use his robots to get WordGirl's attention. Since he knew her secret identity, he could see her anytime he wanted. And since she was providing him with an outlet for his anger preferable to destroying the city, there didn't seem to be any reason anymore for him to do villainous things. But what did that mean? Was he going to just… _stop_ being a villain? Was he okay with that?

When lunch hour was over and it was time to go to the next class, Tobey grumbled in frustration. He didn't need another pointless lesson about something he would never use. He needed some time to think.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

The city streets were the same now as they had been when Tobey ditched school back in third grade. Still the same whites, blacks, and grays in an endless, monotonous maze. Still the same crowds of busy, noisy people who barely noticed him. Even all his destructive years as a villain had done nothing to change them, it seemed. Had _anything_ changed since then? Anything besides _him_?

Tobey kept his eyes on the sidewalk at his feet as he walked aimlessly forward, dreaming and thinking and wondering.

 _What now?_

He knew what _Becky_ wanted. She wanted him to turn over a new leaf and abandon the path he'd chosen. But what did _he_ want?

It wasn't as though the idea to turn good had never occurred to him. Why, just a couple of years ago he had tried to turn good in an ill-fated effort to make WordGirl like him, but he shuddered to remember how _that_ venture had turned out. Once bitten, twice shy, and Tobey wasn't exactly eager for a repeat of his most infuriating failure.

Still…

When he thought of everything that had happened between him and Becky these past few weeks, he wondered if he could ever find the occasion—or the drive—to face her in battle again. She was so obviously happy about this new tide in their relationship, and truth be told, so was he. But if they never fought again, that would mean he truly was no longer a villain… and if he was no longer a villain, then… what _w_ _as_ he? What would that mean for his future?

If things could stay the way they were right now forever, he would've given up villainy in a heartbeat. However, there was a problem with this seemingly hopeful prospect that bothered him.

Even though he and WordGirl weren't really fighting anymore, everything that had happened between them in recent days still hinged on the fact that he was a villain. Since she'd issued the challenge to find other outlets for his anger, everything they'd done together had been an extension of that effort. So what would happen if he stopped being a villain and learned to control his anger like she wanted him to? Would she keep paying attention to him anyway? Could he hope that they might continue to spend time together, gradually grow closer, and that he might one day win her heart by being a _good_ boy?

He wanted to believe that the answer was yes. Although, he couldn't help but remember the egg slicer incident and wonder if it was any indication of his chances…

And if the answer was no, then… what did _that_ mean for his future?

Out of nowhere a tremor rocked the ground at Tobey's feet, and he shied back in surprise as the sidewalk in front of him cracked open. Up from the ground below popped a dirty and disheveled figure who Tobey recognized.

"Aha!" Dr. Two-Brains cheered, spitting out a mouthful of dirt and crumbled concrete. "I made it! I—Wait… This isn't my lair."

After looking and sniffing around for a moment, he pulled out a dirty map and stuck his nose in it as he grumbled, "Must've taken a wrong turn somewhere. Oh! See, I told you it was _left_ at the sewer pipe with the drawing of the Swiss, not _right_ on cheddar!"

Tobey blinked, finally shaking his confusion enough to speak. "I… beg your pardon?"

"Oh, not you, Tobey, I was talking to my second…"

Dr. Two-Brains perked suddenly and turned around, smiling at his fellow villain. "Tobey! Hey, fancy running into _you_ here." Pointing at his map, he muttered, "Pay close attention, Kid, this'll be _you_ one day if WordGirl fails her little mission."

Tobey blinked again, this time in even deeper surprise. _WordGirl? Mission?_ "What mission?"

"Oh, you don't know?" the mad scientist chuckled. "She's been trying to turn you good for the past couple'a months."

"What? She—she _has_?"

Dr. Two-Brains nodded flippantly. "Yeah, she's been consulting with me. Sure is dedicated, that girl. Never thought I could get my hands on so much cheese without having to pull a big heist."

He gave an amused chuckle, then waved up at a bewildered Tobey and said, "Well, I'd better get going. See ya, Kid."

With that he withdrew underground, and Tobey was left to ponder what he'd said in absolute shock.

WordGirl had been trying to turn him good… for a couple of _months_?

He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. She was a hero, so naturally she wouldn't want _anyone_ to be a villain if she could help it. Plus, she hadn't exactly been trying to hide her efforts to nudge Tobey away from villainy in recent days… He just had no idea it went back that far.

He remembered the frustrating and confusing month he had spent wondering why she wasn't coming to battle him, followed by the blissful week _she_ had spent playing games with him. Had she really been working toward reforming him all along? Was that what it was really all about?

Tobey swallowed hard, marching onward around the newly formed hole in the sidewalk… and trying not to acknowledge that somewhere, in a dark corner of his mind, a disturbing possibility was beginning to take form.

« ... »

" _If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."_

— _Genesis 4:7_

* * *

 **I still can't decide whether this chapter is the end of the third plot arc or the beginning of the fourth… Maybe it's both? Regardless, it's a really important turning point, and one that seemed so far away such a short while ago… It's kind of surreal being so far into the story already.**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _"_ _I didn't want you to be alone."_ _—_ I hope nobody who's seen 'Guess Who's Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner' thought Becky was being insincere when she told Tobey this reasoning. In that episode Tobey and his mother have Thanksgiving dinner with the Botsfords, and Tobey sneaks away from the meal to run off and try to bait WordGirl into spending the evening with him. Before he goes, Becky warns him not to get his hopes up about WordGirl coming, insinuating that she won't bother coming to fight him if he leaves. The weird thing, though, is that she _does_ come, and her motivation is never made entirely clear. In the moment when she flies off after him she seems to be mad, or at least a little miffed, but when she actually confronts him, she asks him to pause the battle and then just… talks to him. She doesn't even seem the slightest bit angry. She just cheerfully talks him down and convinces him to go back to dinner, and then they part ways peaceably. :3 Needless to say, that's one of my favorite scenes in the series, and while it's just my headcanon, I like to think that Becky actually did come after him that night out of pity rather than frustration or just her usual sense of superhero duty.**

 **- _The Egg Slicer Incident_ _—_ Once when my brother and I were brainstorming for this story he asked me, "What's the maddest Tobey's ever been?" I had to ponder that for a long time, but the answer I finally settled on was the end of 'Tobey Goes Good.' In that episode Tobey loses an invention contest to a gadget that Becky and Violet made by smashing an apple corer and an egg slicer together. His reaction is perhaps one of his most character-revealing moments in the whole show. As far as I know, it's the only time we ever see him cry, the only time he seems truly intent on dispatching WordGirl, and the only time he is dragged from the scene by the police rather than his mother. I imagine the whole experience scarred more than just his ego.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Head Over Heels_ _" by_ _Switchfoot_ _—_ This is sort of Tobey's realization that Becky has become the center of pretty much his entire life, which is both a happy thing and a scary one. The chorus sums it up pretty well. "In this life, you're the one place I call home. In this life, you're the feeling I belong. In this life, you're the flower and the thorn. You're everything that's fair in love and war." :3**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Stranger_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ Not a perfect fit, but this one describes the inner conflict that Tobey has been struggling with _pretty_ well. It even has a sort of disjointed feel to it that I think captures the confusion he feels about some of the emotions that have come up as he wrestles with these looming questions of what he really wants and who he really is.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Daylight_ _" by_ _David Hodges_ _—_ If you care for a less vague explanation of what's bothering Tobey at the end there, check out this song. In the lyrics, the night represents Tobey's life up until now, and the morning represents the new future on his horizon should he choose to change. It's becoming clear to him that something has to give, and the idea of abandoning villainy is even starting to appeal to him on some level… However, there is a deep-rooted fear associated with this crucial crossroads which has come screaming to the surface now that Tobey knows about Becky's plan, and which this song beautifully, hauntingly captures. The title for the cover art my sister drew was actually inspired by a lyric from this very song.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Life in the Pain_ _" by_ _Safetysuit_ _—_ Similar to how 'Don't Give Up' was my encouragement to Becky in 'Obnubilate,' this song is my encouragement to Tobey now. Much as I would have liked to get through the whole story without Tobey ever finding out what Becky was up to, I realized at some point that he kind of _needed_ to find out… and, with a heavy heart, I also realized that finding out would most definitely hurt him. :( As with 'Don't Give Up,' the one line that doesn't really work is the one that talks about friends. Also as with that song, I must give a warning to my highly spoiler-averse readers—the lyrics to this particular song could be taken loosely as prophecy for what happens in the next few chapters.**


	18. Decathect

**Foreword:**

 **Well, here we are in the _final_ plot arc. I'm just… wow. *-* These past 2 weeks were emotionally stressful, and appropriately, so is this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it.**

 **I don't normally do this, but I have a BGM suggestion for this chapter. Play the piano track "Whisper from the Mirror" by Keiko Matsui, from the beginning of the chapter if you read slowly, or from the start of the second scene (right after Tobey goes to bed) if you read fast. There's actually a kinda cool story behind its connection to the scene that I'll explain in the author's notes. ;)**

* * *

Decathect [dee-k _uh_ - **thekt** ] – to withdraw one's feelings of attachment, as in anticipation of a future loss.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

After his illuminating run-in with Dr. Two-Brains, Tobey drifted through the rest of the day in a daze. He got home right when his mother was leaving to pick him up from school, and hardly even reacted to her harsh lecture about playing hooky. When at last she finished he gladly obeyed her vehement order for him to go to his room, and ambled up the stairs almost automatically.

Before he knew it, afternoon had faded into evening, and he had finished reconstructing his lost behavior program. After he'd installed it in the robot he let loose a deep yawn, and noticed for the first time just how tired he was. Moaning from fatigue, he flopped into his bed without even bothering to take off his glasses. It was too early to turn in for the night, but he was so exhausted—physically, mentally, and emotionally—that he didn't care. Maybe a good night's sleep was exactly what he needed. A few hours of peace to lay his confusion to rest.

He began to drift off, with thoughts of Becky haunting his weary mind for reasons he couldn't explain. So what if she had been secretly working behind his back to turn him from villainy? It only made sense. She wanted him to be good, and he wanted her to like him.

So why did he feel like those two desires were in conflict?

« ... »

"So _that's_ her finishing move," said an eerily familiar voice, cutting through Tobey's sweet oblivion. "Clever girl."

Tobey gasped and spun around to see who had spoken, and there in the darkness in front of him… was _him_. He stood with his arms crossed and his lips drawn up into a cocky smile. It would have been like looking into a mirror, except that Tobey knew his own appearance right then was far from the confident swagger of the boy before him.

The Other Tobey closed his eyes and gave his head a condescending shake as he knowingly sneered, "Suddenly it all makes sense."

"What do you mean?" Tobey asked. He spoke without his accent, though he wasn't sure why. The greater curiosity, however, was that he was less unnerved by the doppelganger himself than he was by what he had just said.

"Oh, come now," the Other Tobey chided with a roll of his eyes. "You've never actually _believed_ that you could win her affections by _fighting_ with her. This has all just been a big game. A contest of wits between a hero and a villain… and it's coming to an end."

Tobey swallowed, shivering from the chill that ran down his spine. Beyond the sheer eeriness of hearing his own voice speak independent of his will, there was something deeply unsettling about this conversation. It made the once comfortable veneer of his accent in the mouth of his reflection sound vindictive and malevolent.

"How is it… coming to an end?" Tobey asked, shuddering as he tried to put up a facade of boldness.

His lookalike shrugged. "Well, if you become good, then she wins… and then she'll have no reason whatsoever to want anything to do with you."

Tobey's heart stopped, but not before leaping into his throat. "You're wrong!"

"Oh, that is precious," the Other Tobey chuckled. "Listen to you! You are literally lying to _yourself_."

Tobey grit his teeth, balling up his fists so tightly that his fingernails pinched his palms. "You—are _not—_ me!"

"But that's not really the issue here, is it?" the impostor said, his voice sickeningly calm. "It doesn't matter whether or not I'm _you_ , because _you_ know that _I_ am right."

"No," murmured Tobey.

"No?" repeated the Other. "Well let's just think about this for a second, shall we? She's a hero and you're a villain. Light and dark. Water and oil. You're diametrically opposed. As long as you stand against everything she holds dear, you know she'll never _actually_ like you."

"Stop…"

"And if you _stop_ being a villain, she'll regard you with nothing but cold indifference. You'll just be another 'good' citizen. Another face in the crowd. Invisible."

"Stop it!"

Tobey clutched his head and fell to his knees, trembling and fighting back tears.

"Might as well face it, chum," the Other callously droned on, stepping toward Tobey. "If you can't make her love you, the next best thing is to make her hate you. It's not ideal, but at least it's something." He stopped, standing over him, and Tobey looked up to see his mirror image glowering down on him. "You do know what 'something' means, don't you?"

Tobey was speechless.

 _Something is…_ not _nothing._

Was it true? Was that what he would be if he wasn't a villain? _Nothing?_

Tobey choked on a sob, and let his gaze fall once more to the ground. His voice when at last he spoke was weak, sincere, and completely vulnerable. "But… I don't want her to hate me… I don't want her to see me that way."

There was a long silence, until at last the Other Tobey's accented voice darkly whispered, "Would you rather she didn't see you at all?"

« ... »

Tobey bolted upright in his bed, sweating and trembling. Tears pooled in his gaping eyes, and before he could wipe them away they were already streaming down his cheeks and smearing his glasses. He sat alone in his dark room, breaking the silence with his gasps and muffled sobs.

Overwhelmed with terror and sorrow, he clutched the sides of his head and grit his teeth until his jaw ached. The only word his brain could conjure was, 'no.'

 _No… No… No… Please, no…_

Even as he tried to tell himself that it was nothing but a meaningless dream, the phantom's words returned to him, chilling down his spine like the nightmare they were. _"So_ that's _her finishing move. Clever girl… Suddenly it all makes sense."_

Tobey choked on a sob and tore out of bed, rushing from his room and down the stairs. His elbow struck something and a second later he heard the object clatter to the ground behind him. Cool night air blasted his face as he burst from his house out into the backyard. The night sky overhead offered not so much as a single star to brighten its dismal visage. Tobey was alone in a world blanketed in darkness.

He took off his glasses and wiped them against his shirt, then rubbed his eyes with the back of his wrist. Taking a sharp breath, he pulled a remote from his right pocket. He couldn't bear the weight and hopelessness of these fears, and all he could think to do was banish them from mind… Or try, at least. With the touch of a button the battle robot he'd been working on for the past month hovered through the open second-floor window of his room and down to him. Its propulsion and guidance system seemed to be working at least.

Heartened slightly by this, Tobey put his glasses back on and managed a faint smile. Everything was so much simpler with robots. Building them was fun, fulfilling, and made him feel like there was at least _one_ thing in his frustrating life that he could control. It didn't matter if no one else liked or respected him, as long as he had the unfailing loyalty of his robots. They were his companions as well as his creations, and as long as he had them, he never had to worry about being… lonely.

 _I'm going to lose her…_

A sharp pain shot through Tobey's chest, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he once more turned his attention to his robot. He pushed another button, and it grew to its full size—about a quarter the size of one of his standard robots. Granted it was smaller than what he usually used, but it was also at least fifteen times more agile and cunning. With this robot he hoped to find a happy medium between the raw destructive power of a massive attack bot, and the swift maneuverability of smaller near-successes like Robo Chaos and… WordBot.

 _No matter what I do… I'm going to lose her._

Tobey tightened his grip on his remote in an attempt to steady his trembling hands. It was no good. Everything reminded him of her, and the terrible thoughts left in the wake of his nightmare cascaded from his troubled mind like water from a breached dam. His desperate efforts to stop them were as doomed as his past attempts to conquer the object of his affections. The Other Tobey had been right. She would never be happy with him unless he was no longer a threat, and once he was no longer a threat… he wouldn't matter to her anymore.

Tobey swallowed the lump forming in his throat, and again forced his focus back to the one other thing he truly cared about. He pushed a few more buttons and watched his robot flex its proverbial muscles for the first time. Meanwhile a cold stillness began to fall over his heart.

"What do you think you're doing?" his mother's annoyed voice asked from behind him, and Tobey turned to see her standing just outside the back door in her nightgown, probing him with her usual disgruntled stare.

"Just testing my new robot, Mother," Tobey announced. His empty voice bore neither a false accent nor any real emotion.

"Do you know what time it is?" his mother complained, striding barefoot toward him across the well-kept lawn.

"I know," he said automatically, although he didn't _actually_ know.

She stopped a few paces away from him, and let loose a long breath before she asked, "So, then… What do you intend to do with this 'new robot'?"

Tobey quaked inwardly at her unintentional reminder of the question that had been haunting him for the past week. After a lengthy pause, he gave her the same answer that he'd ultimately given himself. "I don't know."

A chill wind swept across the yard, rustling the bushes. The sudden cold against his unprotected face was unpleasant, but Tobey made no motion to cover or shield himself. He couldn't help but notice that neither did his mother.

The air fell still once more, and once more his mother spoke. "You can't keep it, Tobey. I want it destroyed."

Tobey jolted, his melancholy breaking with a sudden rush of surprise. He rounded on his mother, face awash with shock. "What? But, I just _finished_ it! And it took me all _week_ to rewrite its behavior program after it was accidentally lost."

"It wasn't accidentally lost," his mother stated calmly. " _I_ deleted it."

Tobey took a step back from her, eyes widening in disbelief. "You… _you_ did it? But… _why_?"

"Because this villain nonsense has gone on _far_ too long and I won't stand for it anymore. From now on you are not allowed to build robots _at all_. Understood?"

Thunderstruck, it took a moment for Tobey to gather his wits enough to respond. He couldn't believe that this was happening… that his mother could be so cruel. His robots were his passion, and the only constant in his life from which he could always draw comfort. Without them, he would probably lose his mind.

"Mother, you can't take this away from me," he pleaded, his voice sharpening with anger. "This is who I am!"

"I don't accept that, Tobey," she snapped back at him. "If this is who you are, then you are _n_ _o_ _t_ the son I raised."

Tobey's breath caught in his throat, and he took a step back from her. He clutched his remote harder, and his cold face went suddenly hot. "How would _you_ know?!" he blasted, his fear of her lost in a flash-flood of rage. "You've never even _tried_ to understand me! You've never cared about _any_ of the things I care about!"

" _E_ _nough_ , Tobey!" the woman shouted, matching his volume. "You give me that remote this instant!"

She expectantly reached out her hand, confronting Tobey with a serious frown.

Tobey met her eyes with a burning glare. Never before had his anger been so incited against her. His whole life was flashing before his eyes—everything he loved or cared about slipping through his fingers all at once. It was too much for him.

Trembling with fury, he backed away from his mother toward his new robot.

"Son?" she muttered, her harsh tone weakening a little.

For the first time in his life, Tobey flat-out ignored her. Hadn't she just finished saying that he _wasn't_ her son? A pained breath escaped his clenched teeth, and he vigorously hammered a button on his remote. In response his robot wrapped two of its appendages around him, securing him against its spherical body.

Its rockets activated, tearing through the silence with a roar and blasting hot currents of wind into the once cool, still air.

"Tobey!" his mother shouted, the concern in her voice far too late.

The boy was already soaring away into the black night sky.

« ... »

 _I am weak and utterly crushed; I cry out in distress because of my heart's anguish._

— _Psalm 38:8_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _What's Going On Here_ _—_ It hit me as I was in the middle of writing this chapter, what's actually happening right now… Tobey's heart is breaking. *-* The poor kid is so confused and bewildered by his own feelings that even _I_ couldn't recognize them until I was halfway through typing them all up. DX I wanted to go cry into a pillow right then. T-T *sighs* Anyway, amidst the emotion this chapter stirred up in me, I found myself doing something that I _love_ in writing but that I'm normally pretty bad at—using the descriptions of the environment to augment the emotion of the scene. I personally like how it turned out, but I don't know how effectively I was able to convey my intended meaning. Did anyone pick up on how the night sky represents the bleakness that Tobey is beginning to see in his future? Or how the changes in the literal air represent the shifting tide in his relationship with his mother as they have this earth-shattering conversation? *sobs* I tell you, sometimes it's hard writing for super-complex characters with rejection issues and delicate emotional states. Why, my Tobey? :(** **Maybe now I have a vague idea how God feels about people who keep rejecting His love because they think that that He doesn't care about them, or that He couldn't possibly forgive them, or whatever other lie they've bought into. It's hard to watch someone struggle so painfully and so needlessly.**

 **- _The 'Other' Tobey_ _—_ I realize that the whole 'metaphorical argument with self to show inner conflict' bit is a little tropey, but when I had the idea to do it with Tobey and realized how _effective_ it would be with him in particular, I just couldn't resist. I love how the dichotomy of his thoughts and desires comes out, with the British accent to contrast his true heart with the lies he's allowed himself to believe. It's positively chilling. *shivers* Believe it or not, this scene was one of the parts I wrote well before its time came in the story. Ironically enough, I actually wrote this nightmare of Tobey's shortly after I wrote Becky's dream from chapter 10… which, as you can imagine, made for a really funny back-to-back contrast. :P**

 **- _"Well let's just think about this for a second, shall we?"_ _—_ It's not exactly a reference, but an observant reader with a keen memory may notice that this line is an exact quote from 'By Jove, You've Wrecked My Robot.' It was something Tobey said to Becky before listing off his evidence that she was WordGirl. I thought it would be cool if Tobey's dream doppelganger threw something Tobey said back at him.**

 **- _Plot got your tongue?_ _—_ The highly observant reader may have noticed that this is the first chapter in the story that didn't define a word somewhere (unless you count 'something,' which I… don't :P). The reason should be obvious. This plot arc entails the darkest part of the story, and I didn't want to force myself to include mood-killing educational content just because. Not to give spoilers, but don't be surprised if a few more chapters follow this trend in the future.**

 **- _"_ _Whisper from the Mirror_ _"—_ So here's the story. I typed up the raw dialogue for Tobey's nightmare first, and when I went back to write in all the prose I put on my BGM playlist for 'tension,' and shuffle picked this track at random. On top of how eerily the title fits, I found that the music itself had the perfect tone for the scene, and the first time I read it over I found that it was _almost_ the perfect length. I might just be imagining it, but it seems to me like the shifts in the sound even somewhat synch up with the emotional fluctuations in the scene. Of course, that completely depends on how fast you read.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _What If_ _" by_ _Coldplay_ _—_ It's mainly just the verses that fit for this one, but I could see the chorus maybe fitting in an abstract sort of way. Basically this is the culmination of all Tobey fears, and his conscious recognition thereof. It's pretty self-explanatory in conjunction with the chapter.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Slow Bleed_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ I guess this could be the panic that sets in after the realization of the previous theme song. The bridge at the very end where the viewpoint changes from 'I' to 'you' is once more Becky's gentle encouragement amidst the chaos, which is unfortunately lost in a haze of terror and heartbreak just like it is in the song.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _For You Only_ _" by_ _Trading Yesterday_ _—_ This is the quiet despair that settles in once Tobey becomes convinced that there's no way he can hold onto Becky. There are two versions of this song. If you look it up, make sure you find the full-length version, which would be about 5 minutes long, as opposed to the original version which is only 2 minutes.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Already Over_ _" by_ _Red_ _—_ This is Tobey accepting with a broken heart that, although Becky has his heart and he'll never get it back from her, she is as good as lost to him. T-T Keep in mind that there's a 'Part 2' version of this song that's sort of a soft epilogue to the original version. The one I'm referring to is the original version.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Mystery of You_ _" by_ _Red_ _—_ For some reason I'm having a hard time explaining how this song fits Tobey… However, although the connection defies description, I think it's intuitively clear. If you just listen to it, I'm sure you'll see what I mean.**


	19. Internecine

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode, 'Guess Who's Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **I feel ambivalent about how the last chapter was received—particularly what happened with Tobey's mom. A lot of people were really mad at her, and I was happy since it meant that I conveyed Tobey's feelings effectively, but also kind of sad since I actually feel really strongly for Mrs. McCallister in that scene. I knew there was no way to avoid painting her as the bad guy, since we were seeing the scene through Tobey's eyes and he was kind of having an emotional breakdown. Still, I hope you guys can find it in your hearts to try and see things from his mother's perspective. She hasn't had the benefit of seeing all the subtle progress he's making under the surface, and despite her most heartfelt intentions, she just has no idea what to do for her little boy. T-T**

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Internecine [in-ter- **nes** -seen] – mutually destructive.

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Becky lay awake in bed, wondering, and trying _not_ to wonder. A glance at the clock on her nightstand told her it was 11:37. She should be asleep by now, but for some reason her mind couldn't rest at ease.

Why had Tobey run off in the middle of the school day? Had something happened? She didn't remember anything that seemed to have particularly upset him, and regardless, she was surprised that he would just disappear with no explanation. Irritable though he was, Tobey wasn't in the habit of leaving simply because he was bored, though she supposed she shouldn't put it past him.

 _I hope he's okay,_ she worried in spite of herself. She would have to ask him about it at school tomorrow— _if_ , in fact, she could ever manage to get to sleep _tonight_.

Downstairs the phone rang. A moment later her mother shouted, "What do you mean, Tobey ran away?!"

Becky's eyes wrenched open, and she literally flew out of bed.

« ... »

What in the world was Tobey thinking? Running away? But they were just starting to make real progress! Why would he do something so rash _now?_ What could've possibly provoked him to this kind of nonsense? What was… wrong with him?

Biting her lip, WordGirl stubbornly resumed her trek through the night sky high above the spangling cityscape, trying not to let herself get discouraged. She would find him. She _had_ to find him… But she'd been looking for hours and had yet to locate even a trace of him. She'd already checked all the places that made sense: the library, the museum, the park—not to mention every ice cream parlor in the city. Where could he be?

"Hey, um, I know you're not supposed to help me out and all," she muttered into the cool night air, "but this is _really_ important, so could you make an exception just this once?"

"I can't," answered the Narrator.

"Oh, but—!"

"No, I mean I actually _can't_ ," he clarified, sounding regretful. "We haven't cut to Tobey since he ran away, so I honestly have no idea where he is. Sorry…"

WordGirl sighed, her heart sinking even lower. _Oh, Tobey,_ she worried fruitlessly as a deep, sharp ache throbbed in her chest. _Where_ _ARE_ _you?_

If he wasn't in any of the places he usually went, he could be _anywhere_. She'd never find him just endlessly scouring the city like this. She had to calm down and think.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to put aside what she didn't know and instead rationally contemplate what she did. True, he could be anywhere, but he wasn't _just_ anywhere, she reminded herself—he was _somewhere_. Somewhere he'd chosen to go. Somewhere that meant something to him.

 _Think, Becky, think! Where would he go?_

She wondered for a moment whether she should ask Dr. Two-Brains for advice once more, but she didn't have time to rush around looking for cheese at an hour when all the grocery stores would be closed. Shutting her eyes and halting above the City Jail, she tried to imagine what he would suggest if she were to ask him.

 _"_ _I know it's hard with only one, but try to use your brain,"_ his voice sneered in her mind's ear (even when she was just _imagining_ what he might say he was trying to provoke her). _"_ _It's basic psychology, remember? Just think about what he wants_ _."_

 _What he wants…?_

How was she supposed to figure out what he wanted when she didn't even have a clue as to why he'd run off?! Tobey was so complicated— _far_ more so than she'd ever given him credit for before. What he wanted could be… anything.

…Right?

 _"_ _T_ _hink_ _about it,"_ Dr. Two-Brains' words from months ago repeated in her mind. _"What is Tobey after when he wrecks the city?"_

WordGirl swallowed as she remembered the answer. _He wants to see me._

Something told her it wasn't quite that simple this time, but the idea rang true nonetheless. Regardless of what was bothering Tobey—regardless of what was wrong—it made sense that he would want to see her. He _always_ wanted to see her, she considered with flutter of mixed feelings, and this time was unlikely to be an exception.

But if he wanted her to come, why hadn't he called for her? He _knew_ that she would come if he called.

 _"Have you tried visiting him when he_ didn't _call_?" Two-Brains advised her once more from the less-distant past.

Almost without meaning to, WordGirl tightened a fist over her chest. The pressure to find him was beginning to feel personal as well as immediate. Whatever the motivation was behind his sudden disappearance, it was _her_ responsibility to bring him home.

Her hands rose to the sides of her head as she desperately searched through the myriad of information available to her, trying to grasp some sort of clue amidst all the background noise. If he wanted to see her, he would go somewhere she knew about. If he wanted her to come, he would be somewhere she could find him. But where? _Where?_

 _"Can I talk to you in private?"_ Tobey's voice echoed in her mind with a question he'd asked her earlier. Realization dawned in her mind as his words resurfaced from recent memory…

 _"That night, when I left with my robots, you told me I shouldn't_ _count on_ _WordGirl to show up… You obviously didn't want to come face me… Why_ did _you?"_

Her eyes flew open, and her heart beamed with hope.

 _I_ _think…_ _I_ _know where he is!_

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Why hadn't she thought of it before? That Thanksgiving had been one of the few times before this reformation effort when she and Tobey had actually gotten along. She remembered how happy he'd been that night—both with Becky _and_ with WordGirl. Of _course_ he would go to the place where they had met.

The dark forested area just outside town was just as she remembered it, but painted with the happy green of May rather than the fall colors of Thanksgiving. The city lights in the distance gradually faded away as she drifted deeper amidst the trees, looking around and urgently calling out, "Tobey! Tobey, are you here?"

Several minutes later the only light left was the soft glow of the moon, and she had neither seen nor heard any sign of Tobey. A sharp breeze rustled the branches overhead and she shivered from the sudden rush of cold, wondering despondently if she'd been wrong about this place. Maybe Tobey _wasn't_ here. Maybe he didn't want to see her at all, and he'd gone somewhere she would _never_ be able to find him. Maybe he wanted to be alone. The thought grieved her.

A flurry of fallen leaves rushed at her, obstructing her view. With an annoyed grunt she waved a few of them out of her face, absentmindedly glancing up in the direction from which they'd come.

And there, at last, she saw him.

Tobey was sitting alone on a thick branch high up in one of the trees, still as a statue, head hanging somberly. Her heart soared and she followed suit, flashing up to meet him.

"Tobey! There you are!" she shouted in sweet relief, hovering a few feet in front of him. "I've been so—I mean, your _mom_ has been so worried about you!"

Tobey remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the ground below. After a silent moment he muttered in a soft, cold voice, "Becky… what am I to you?"

"Huh?"

He slowly raised his head, and his expression as their eyes met was almost blank. A bit louder, he dryly repeated, "What am I to you?"

WordGirl said nothing, dumbstruck at his uncharacteristic behavior. She'd never seen him like this before. She couldn't tell what he was feeling, and that was new to her. His mood was usually painted all over his face plain as day, but right now it was hidden behind a nebulous facade as dark as the night sky.

"Why don't you just admit the truth?" he said, anger finally sparking in his voice. "I'm your _enemy_. I can be your playmate or classmate for a few hours here and there, but at the end of the day, when we both go home, we're enemies."

WordGirl was taken aback. Where was this coming from? "Tobey, I—"

"I should have figured it out sooner," he went on, his anger building as a thread of sadness also bled through. "You said you were tired of fighting with me. You said it right to my face. If having me for an enemy became too exhausting for you, it's hardly surprising that you would want to convert me from a negative into a neutral. Then you wouldn't have to contend with me anymore."

WordGirl was shocked by how deeply his words cut her. Conflicting feelings of sympathy and resentment took hold, and she sharply clenched her fists. "Is that what you think? You think I just want to get _rid_ of you?"

"Don't insult me, Becky!" Tobey snapped, his eyes flashing. "Dr. Two-Brains told me about the little 'psychological experiment' you've been conducting. Conditioning me. Manipulating me. Trying to mold me into a good little boy who you can ignore for the rest of your life."

WordGirl hesitated in shock. It had never occurred to her what Tobey might think if he found out about what she was doing, any more than it had occurred to her to come right out and tell him about it herself. She'd grown so used to keeping secrets from him that she didn't even wonder about the consequences should the truth come to light. Now her thoughtlessness was coming back to haunt her tenfold.

"No, Tobey," she insisted, voice quivering with remorse, "you've got it all wrong! I wasn't trying to—!"

"Lying doesn't befit a heroine, WordGirl," Tobey spat. "And I won't be your lab mouse any longer!"

He pulled out a remote, and pressed the red button that WordGirl recognized all too well.

« ... »

 _Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness._

— _Job 30:26_

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Stunned Silent_ _—_ I… I don't know what's come over me. #_# I should have a million things to say about this chapter, but shockingly… I'm kind of speechless right now. *-* I guess most of what I have to say this time will be in the wall of theme songs. ****The 'Guess Who's Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner' reference was already explained in 'Ambivalent,' so I won't bother going into it again here.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _The Darkness_ _" by_ _Built By Titan_ _—_ This has proven to be a very versatile character theme song. My sister and I have already applied it to several different stories, and this probably isn't even the one it fits the best, but I still had to share it with you guys. Even if it doesn't fit _perfectly_ , it's a simple yet powerful representation of Becky's resolve and emotional struggle at this critical moment in the story. :) The line "In the darkness… in the darkness… I will find you in the darkness" probably comprises about half the lyrics, and it both literally and symbolically hearkens to what is happening in the story right now.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _You Can't Take Me_ _" by_ _Bryan Adams_ _—_ This is the false conclusion that Tobey's pain and restlessness has brought him to. He feels like everything is wrong and he can't accept the change that's begun to sink in. He's heartbroken and angry, and so he falls back on the only thing he knows to do with his anger: fight. I like to think that the 'it' the song talks about in the chorus has a double meaning. Tobey thinks that 'it' is his identity as a villain, but really the thing he can't give up is Becky. :3**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Bring Me to Life_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ We're getting a little warmer with this one. It still has that rough, aggressive feel to it that makes it work as an angsty battle song, but the lyrics tell the story of someone who doesn't actually _want_ to fight. Someone who is broken and desperate, and who is crying out for help. :(**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Without You_ _" by_ _Ashes Remain_ _—_ And now we're there. Once you strip away all the anger, all the misplaced aggression, and all the lies, this is Tobey's true heart in this fragile moment. See it, Becky. _Please_ see it. T-T**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Tonight_ _" by_ _TobyMac_ _—_ I don't think I would have been able to rest until I found a TobyMac theme song for this story, because I'm goofy that way. :P Surprisingly enough, my favorite TobyMac song, and incidentally the first one I tried, actually worked! XD This is the hopeful perspective on the awful situation that's unfolding. It's what's really happening beneath the tempestuous surface. The 'I' is Tobey, the 'we' is Becky _and_ Tobey, and the song as a whole is what 'tonight' is really all about. ;)**


	20. Parapraxis

**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'It's Your Party And I'll Cry If I Want To.'**

 **Foreword:**

 **Still kind of speechless. Just read. T-T**

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Parapraxis [par- _uh_ - **prak** -sis] – a slip of the tongue or other error thought to reveal unconscious wishes or attitudes.

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A loud rustling issued from the treetops overhead, accompanied by the sound of rockets igniting. WordGirl seized fearfully as she looked up into the treetop canopy overhead. To her dismay, the finished version of the robot that she'd last seen as a sketch on paper descended into view. It was about twice the size of a tank, and looked about ten times as dangerous. Its spherical body flashed in the moonlight as it rotated the ring around its circumference, brandishing two of the six limbs attached to it.

WordGirl gasped and reflexively assumed a defensive posture. "Wait, what are you—?!"

"I finished reconstructing the behavior program for my new battle robot," Tobey said, reprising the cocky, villainous tone that she had hoped never to hear again. "I call him the 'Visceratron.'"

With that the robot dove at WordGirl. The tri-pronged claws at the end of each exposed arm flashed open while the remaining four pointed straight behind the robot, spitting fire as they propelled it forward.

Its speed was surprising, and WordGirl was scarcely able to zip out of the way of its first strike. It swept past her and collided with a tree, which snapped in two and fell with a shower of splinters, leaving the Visceratron without so much as a scratch. She swallowed and poised herself a short distance away, keeping the robot in her peripheral as she turned to face its master.

"Stop!" she called out to Tobey. "I don't want to fight you!"

"Then this will be our shortest battle yet," the boy coldly replied.

He pushed another button on his remote, and the robot charged WordGirl once again. This time it was too fast for her to evade and it rammed into her, carrying her down until it slammed her hard into the ground. All of a sudden she was in darkness, trapped in a smothering vice hold between the earth at her back and the cold black metal pressing down on her front.

Her survival instincts reared to life. She wrestled her feet up against the robot's belly and kicked hard, catapulting it up into the air. Next she grabbed the upper half of the demolished tree and zipped up after the Visceratron, whacking the robot as hard as she could. The collision of wood and metal roared in her ears, and the Visceratron went careening into another tree.

"Tobey, I'm sorry," she shouted passionately, dropping her weapon and baring her palms toward him. "I was trying to help. I never wanted to hurt you!"

"What makes you think you've _hurt_ me?" Tobey asked, stubbornly maintaining his villainous air. "A little humility would suit you, WordGirl."

Again the sound of rocket thrusters rumbled like thunder nearby, and WordGirl turned just in time to see the robot coming at her from behind. It was almost too quick, but she just barely managed to grab the arm it lunged at her and rip it off. She let the tentacle fall to the ground and punched with all her might, but as the Visceratron was sent flying one of its claws grabbed her foot, and she was forcefully dragged off with it.

It reached out two arms as it approached the ground, strategically softening its landing, and at the crescendo of its momentum it whipped WordGirl in a wide arc around itself, releasing her at the perfect moment to send her hurtling through the air like a rock launched from a slingshot. Before she could even tell which way she was headed she crashed painfully into a tree near Tobey.

She collapsed in the hollow her body had punched in the tree's massive trunk, pressing both hands against her throbbing head while the world around her spun in a frenzied blur.

As her senses slowly returned, she heard Tobey's haughty voice taunting from nearby. "What's the matter, WordGirl? Is my new design too much for you to handle? I mean, I know it can match you for speed and strength, but somehow I still thought you'd be able to put up more of a fight than this."

WordGirl grit her teeth, fighting off a wave of emotion that threatened to overtake her. Movement in her peripheral caught her attention, and she glanced down at the ground to see the Visceratron crawl over to the dismembered limb that she had cast aside. Much to her horror, it picked up the severed appendage, and effortlessly reattached it.

"Ingenious, isn't it?" Tobey chuckled. "The Visceratron can anticipate external stress to its limbs and detach them to prevent damage so that they can later be retrieved and reintegrated with the main body—meaning you can't simply dismember it and go your merry way."

WordGirl's heart sank. She couldn't beat this thing by taking out its extremities? How could she possibly defeat it then? If it could match her speed, she couldn't even escape. What was she going to do?

Trembling from shock and fear, she climbed out of the splintery hole in the tree and hovered in place, fixing a confused, heartbroken stare on her attacker. "Tobey, why are you doing this?"

"Why are you surprised?" Tobey countered, arms folded in front of him. "This is the way it's always been between you and I. We fight! And we'll continue to fight until one of us wins once and for all."

Clenching her fists, she earnestly pleaded, "But this isn't right! This isn't who you are!"

At that Tobey abandoned his aloof, nonchalant attitude and manifested instead a clear and potent anger.

"What gives _you_ the right to decide who _I_ am?!" he screamed.

He hammered a button and his robot swiveled four of its arms toward the ground, igniting its thrusters and blasting into the air toward WordGirl.

"You're just like all the others—everyone who ever walked right past me as if I wasn't there!"

The Visceratron was within spitting distance by the time WordGirl had the sense to react. Its orange eye lit up and emitted a shrill warble, just before a hot laserbeam tore through the air. WordGirl dashed out of the way, almost too late. The beam blasted the tree behind her, decimating it in seconds. The cacophonous noise left her ears ringing until Tobey's impassioned voice came through once more.

"You want me to become a 'good citizen' so that I can be harmless and purposeless like everyone else! Well, the 'good citizens' of this blasted city never even _saw_ me unless I was being bad, and neither did you!"

"Tobey, that's not true!" WordGirl screamed, trembling from head to foot. "I _did_ see you!"

The robot came at her again, and this time she simply fell back, flying in evasive patterns in an attempt to out-maneuver it while she put forth one last desperate effort to talk some sense into Tobey.

"I saw you help people at the young inventors challenge," she shouted, eyes stinging against the currents of air that buffeted her as she flew. "I saw you show kindness at Katie's birthday party. I saw you keep my identity safe, because you didn't want to hurt me!"

Summoning her courage, she decided to gamble everything on an extremely risky move. She stopped right in front of Tobey, almost close enough to reach out and touch him, while his robot was still closing in at breakneck speed.

"I've seen you do _good_ , Tobey, and those were the times when…" Her breath caught in her throat, and a tear spilled down her face. "Those were the times when… I _wanted_ to see you!"

For a moment, Tobey's expression looked like it was softening. The rage drained from his eyes, leaving a sorrowful pool of tears in its place. The Visceratron was closing in, its engines roaring in WordGirl's ears, but she stubbornly held her position.

 _Please, Tobey,_ she begged, deep in her heart as her voice had failed her. _Please stop this…_

"Enough!" Tobey shouted, his fury returning with a baleful shake of his head.

The robot pounded into her and dragged her once more to the ground. Back to the dirt, she wrestled with its slithering, snapping appendages. A glance past its spherical frame, and she could still see Tobey standing mightily up in his tree.

"Save your breath, WordGirl!" he bellowed, so loudly that his voice sounded strained. "You can't change me! I'm a villain! I AM a _villain_! And I will never be anything else!"

WordGirl grunted and strained against the powerful thrashing of the Visceratron, but still managed to force the words in her heart from her mouth. "I don't believe that!" she cried. " _You_ don't even believe that! Be honest with yourself, Tobey… This can't be what you want!"

She held her left foot against the robot's swiveling eye to keep it facing away from her lest it charge its deadly laserbeam. Between her remaining three limbs, it was all she could do to keep the rest of the Visceratron's arms at bay.

Groaning from overexertion, she relentlessly shouted on. "In a few weeks you can be sent to jail for serious crimes, and then you'll be like Dr. Two-Brains—constantly in and out of prison and spending the interim just thinking up new ways to get yourself in trouble!"

She finally wriggled loose from the robot's grip and jetted out from under its body. Before it could turn on her and attack again, she grabbed it by one of its limbs, swung it around in a few circles to build momentum, then launched it away from her.

"That's your future if you don't change!" she shrieked, turning a heated glare on Tobey. "There's nothing for you if you stay a villain!"

Tobey hesitated for a long moment, his face contorting with rage, and at last he irately countered, "I—don't— _care!_ "

The Visceratron put on its most sudden burst of speed yet, and in the time it took for WordGirl to gasp in surprise it was only a few meters away. Without warning, it fired its laser at her. A burning sensation shot through her like a thousand volts of electricity, and she screamed in pain. Every muscle in her body went limp for a second, and that was all it took.

When the laser had stopped and the pain had passed, she found herself spread eagle against the spherical body of the Visceratron. Cold metal pressed against her back while four unforgiving claws clutched her hands and feet, holding her firmly in place. She pulled as hard as she could against them, but she was still weak from the laser blast and their grip was too strong for her.

"I'm not going to play the game by your rules, Becky!" Tobey's voice stated firmly. "And I won't let you win!"

One of the robot's free arms snaked in front of WordGirl's face, and its claw opened menacingly. Searing heat billowed against her face, and the exhaust pipe in the palm of the robot's clawed hand glowed a brilliant orange as the sound of an engine revving announced its finishing attack.

WordGirl's heart felt like it had stopped, all emotions forgotten except for fear. Eyes gaping and pouring forth terrified tears, she desperately pleaded, "Stop! Stop it, Tobey, _please!_ You win! What do you want?"

"I don't know!" Tobey screamed, abandoning his accent. "I don't know what I want!"

« ... »

 _Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death._

— _2 Corinthians 7:10_

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 **Man, I kind of hate myself right now…**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Well, that seems kinda harsh…_ _—_ I know we all want to give Tobey the benefit of a _huge_ doubt and believe that there are some things he would never do, even at his worst. As such, some of you may be having trouble accepting the way he behaves in this chapter, thinking there's no way he would do something so terrible to _WordGirl_ , of all people. However, when I'm trying to gauge how far Tobey is willing to go in a moment of raw, unbridled emotion, I have to remember the end of 'Tobey Goes Good,' which is, I believe, the angriest we ever get to see him in the whole series. It's easy to underrate just how impassioned and incited he is because its a silly cartoon and even such raw emotional moments are played mostly for laughs, but I believe that it offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into one of the most poignant, and most disturbing aspects of Tobey's character. In this scene he renounces his decision to change in a fit of rage, sheds a visible tear (which of course he quickly wipes away), and after that looks like he is very ready to finish WordGirl off. We mustn't let the implications of this moment past us. He actually screams out, "Goodbye, WordGirl!" as his robot is squeezing her in its iron grip. There can be no mistake as to his intention. Yes, this is a fit of rage like none we'd ever seen before or will ever see again (except in fanfiction, of course :P), but the fact remains that, at his worst, Tobey is capable of very serious evil. If he weren't, the urgency of this story wouldn't be nearly as strong.**

 **- _The Visceratron_ _—_ I actually stressed for quite a while over what Tobey should call his robot. I wanted it to sound like something that he would come up with, but I also wanted it to be a little cooler and more meaningful than what he usually comes up with, both out of personal stubbornness and a genuine desire to show that he actually _is_ growing and beginning to develop teenage sensibilities. I never was able to completely sell my brother on it (shame, really, being that he designed the robot), but I actually quite like the name 'Visceratron.' It's meant to be reminiscent of the words _eviscerate_ , which means 'to disembowel' *shudders* and _visceral_ , which means 'dealing with coarse or base emotions.' I thought the similarity of the words was just a cool irony, but in turns out they both come from the word 'viscera.' Either way, the juxtaposition of those words, not to mention how the latter applies to Tobey's current state, is a really cool little hidden meaning (and one that Tobey probably didn't take into consideration). :)**

 **- _"A little humility would suit you, WordGirl."_ _—_ For those who don't remember back this far, this is sort of a cruel reference back to chapter 4, when WordGirl half-jokingly said, "You know, Tobey, a little humility would suit you."**

 ** _\- "I saw you show kindness at Katie's birthday party."—_ Once again, this is a reference to 'It's Your Party And I'll Cry If I Want To' wherein Tobey elected not to crush Katie's birthday cake when he saw her start to cry. I suppose WordGirl might also be referring to how he gave Katie a present, ridiculous though it was. :P**

 **- _Theme Song: "E For Extinction" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ This is just a good fight song in general, but it also captures the deeper emotional conflict in this scene quite well. The softer verses of the song where the singer says 'I' are exclusively Tobey talking about what he's feeling right now. In the chorus, where it goes from 'I' to 'we,' I imagine he is including his robots, and talking about how they are going to attack this problem together.**

 **- _Theme Song: "The Part That Hurts The Most" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ (Are you loving this, Turtle777? ;P) This, once again, is a more honest look at what's actually going on in Tobey's heart during this visceral (:P) moment when he seems to be pushing Becky away in the worst possible way. In his confused, heartbroken state he has embraced the idea that WordGirl will never accept him, and that they can't have a relationship without one or both of them getting hurt. :( It's pretty self explanatory, and very powerful.**

 **- _Theme Song: "Whisper" by_ _Evanescence_ _—_ This song very deeply evokes _begging_ , and that's exactly what it means in the context of this scene. It feels like everything is coming to a horrible end, and these poor kids are _begging_ each other to turn things around—Tobey in the first verse and Becky in the second. The Latin chanting at the end literally echoes the theme of the chapter, if not the whole story: "Save us from danger… Save us from evil… Save us from danger… Save us from evil…"**

 **- _Theme Song: "Hanging On By A Thread" by_ _The Letter Black_ _—_ Okay, so it's sung by a girl, but this, without a doubt, is _Tobey_. He wants Becky to save him. He wants her to catch him before he falls. And even though he's manifesting his need in the worst possible way, he truly is trying, at least subconsciously, to tear down his stubborn pride and let her help him.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _X &Y_ _" by_ _Coldplay_ _—_ This one is perfect for the first minute or so, and then the connection sort of gets lost when it starts talking about drifting into outer space (-_-), but I love how that first minute describes the fight in this chapter in a soft, quiet, internal way that sees past the action-reaction stuff and actually gets at the deeper substance there. My favorite line, I think, is "I want to love you, but I don't know if I can."**


	21. Exculpate

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **This week my wireless internet went down and my dad had to finagle a wired connection in order to get us back online. I wish I could've posted this earlier today. I already feel like I had to rush it out and I wish I could've proofread it more and put more thought into the author's notes. :( Maybe I'll publish some updates in the near future, but for now, the show must go on! Apologies in advance if the next chapter is late. I don't see myself having much time to work on the story in the coming week. T-T**

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Exculpate [ **ek** -skuhl-peyt] – to clear from a charge of guilt or fault; free from blame; vindicate.

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The crackle of electricity stopped all at once, and WordGirl gingerly opened her eyes. Looming in the tree up above her, Tobey stood with his finger on a button. Like the claw hovering before her face, all the spark had drained right out of him. He looked utterly defeated, even though he'd won the battle by a mile.

WordGirl's heart thundered in her chest as she watched him. Her hands clenched into useless fists and her whole body tensed with fear. Her limbs were still strapped harshly against the cold metal and began to ache from the pressure of the robot's iron grip on her wrists and ankles. Tobey had her almost literally on a silver platter, but had stopped just short of finishing her off. The question remained, however, of what he would do now.

Head hanging low, he pushed another button on his remote, and the robot released her. She gasped in relief and jetted off into the night, caving to the fight-or-flight instinct that consumed her mind in that moment. Her emotions were going haywire. She felt hurt, betrayed, confused… but mostly afraid. She could still hardly believe what Tobey had almost done.

She had to get away. Get as far from him as possible before he… changed his…

Her pulse slowed as the rush of the battle faded behind her, and she stopped. Breath panting, heart pounding, she paused to think for a moment. What had happened just now? None of it made sense. Tobey was _fine_ only yesterday… She'd thought so, at least. Obviously she had been wrong, but _this?_ This was beyond a simple temper tantrum over a routine offense. This had to be something deeper.

Again she was reminded of the day he'd nearly attacked Megahard Industries, and the same bizarre instinct entered her mind, challenging her to defy reason and do something that she _knew_ wasn't smart. She couldn't help it, though. Just like back then, she just had an uncanny feeling that Tobey _needed_ her, now more than ever. Something was horribly wrong, and a soft but desperate voice inside her insisted that if she failed Tobey in this critical moment, he would be lost forever.

 _No,_ her heart cried out. _No, I can't let that happen!_

Reason came back with a vengeance, accompanied by the mortal fear that had seized her in the same instant as Tobey's robot. She couldn't go _back_ to him! He nearly _kill_ _ed_ her!

 _But… he didn't._

He beat her into the ground and frightened her within an inch of her life!

 _But… he let me go._

He was more volatile right now than she'd ever seen him before. If she went back to him, there was no telling what he might do.

 _But if I_ don't _go back,_ she considered with tears in her eyes, _I know_ exactly _what he'll do._

If she didn't go to him, he would give up hope. If she wasn't there for him, he would be alone again, just like he was when he first became a villain. If she left him, he would close his heart to the light and remain in darkness forever… and Dr. Two-Brains' disturbing prophecy would be fulfilled.

And then something strange occurred to her—the scene at the end of _Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum_ , when Triana had kissed the ogre's cheek and he had transformed into the lost Prince Vanlandingham. Becky knew it was only a fairy tale, but that scene had moved her so. The way the Princess had shown such great faith and kindness to a creature that everyone feared… The way she had seen through his hideous disguise to the true heart underneath…

WordGirl swallowed, blinking away her tears and clenching a fist over her wavering heart. She was still terrified—still inflamed with physical pain and emotional trauma from Tobey's attack. Yet even so… she knew that she couldn't abandon him.

He was a villain, and he was a delinquent, and he had done far more harm than good since the day he was born, but somehow none of that mattered. In spite of everything stacked against Tobey, she _cared_ about him. She would never forgive herself if he fell prey to evil because of _her_ cowardice. If there was any chance at all that she could save him, she _had_ to.

Drawing a deep breath and summoning the last of her courage, she flew back to the devastated patch of forest where she had fought the Visceratron.

And there she saw Tobey, sitting alone in the same spot in the same tree where she had found him before the fight. Face downcast, he was almost still and nearly silent. The only sound he made was a faint whimpering that she wouldn't have even been able to detect if not for her super-hearing. The only movement he made was a slight trembling of his shoulders that racked through his small body until even his feet quivered as they dangled toward the ground below.

Near the base of the tree WordGirl saw the Visceratron laying derelict in the spot where it had threatened to destroy her. The remote that controlled it rested in Tobey's lap in a loose, shuddering grip. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a tiny droplet splash against the red attack button.

Swallowing nervously, she floated down to him and hovered at what she hoped was a safe distance. "Tobey…?"

He didn't move, or even acknowledge that she was there, except for a nigh imperceptible tightening of his fingers around his remote.

WordGirl steeled her nerves and drifted a little closer. Her voice sounded so soft and weak to her own ears that she wondered if he could even hear her. "Tobey, talk to me… Please?"

At last the boy stirred, swallowing a sob and raising up a hand to cover the one part of his face that she could see.

"It feels like I'm losing everything," he said hopelessly. His voice was weak and hollow, but genuine—like he had completely exhausted his strength to keep up even the most basic of pretenses. "Everything that defines me is just... slipping away. I don't even know who I am anymore."

WordGirl's eyes stung and she shuddered. "Tobey…"

"Congratulations, you were right," he snapped bitterly, looking up at her. She was shocked to see the frustration in his eyes and the streams of tears trailing down his cheeks. "There's nothing for me if I stay a villain…" He bit his lip, and his countenance broke with sorrow. He couldn't completely restrain a pained sob as he once more turned his eyes to the ground and vehemently blasted, "But there's nothing for me if I give it up, either! If I stop being a villain everything will go back to the way it was before I mattered, and who would I be then?"

WordGirl felt a bead of moisture trickle down her own cheek, and she wrenched her eyes away from Tobey. She couldn't stand to see him like this. It was so… wrong. She never imagined she would _miss_ the arrogance or fake accent that usually marked his voice. He didn't sound like himself.

But then… who was she to think that? What did she honestly know about who Tobey _really_ was? To her it felt strange just hearing him talk at length without his British accent, even though she knew it wasn't real. In a way, he'd been putting forth his own false persona since they'd met—to protect himself.

Like she did with WordGirl.

Sniffling and wiping her eyes, she put on a brave smile and closed the distance between them, seating herself on the branch right beside him.

"Let me ask you something," she said. "Who would _I_ be if I stopped being a hero?"

He spared her a quizzical look, and the emotion in his voice steadied as he matter-of-factly replied, "You'd be Becky Botsford."

"Exactly," she exclaimed, trying her best to put on an optimistic smile. "So who would _you_ be if you stopped being a villain?"

He stared at her for a long moment, his pensive expression steady, but made no effort to reply. Finally, both to break the silence and lighten the mood, she playfully said, "Starts with a 'T.'"

Tobey frowned at her and took a sharp, flustered breath. "But it's _different_ for you! There's a clear line between WordGirl and Becky Botsford. I don't know anything else! Before I was a villain I was… nobody."

His eyes seized shut and he looked away, continuing in a broken voice. "I was nothing… to anyone. I was certainly nothing to _you_. If I hadn't become a villain, I would _still_ be nothing to you. What would I be to you if I stopped being your enemy?"

With a heavy heart WordGirl watched him hang his head, tears still streaming down his face. She took a breath, then softly, sincerely answered, "My friend."

Tobey's expression changed in an instant—eyes gaping in surprise as all other emotions drained from his face. He swallowed, and slowly turned his head. His eyes when they met hers were filled with a hopeful yearning that was almost palpable. "You… _want_ to be my friend?"

WordGirl let loose a carefully measured giggle and said, "Tobey, I would _love_ to be your friend."

Then, without sparing the time to second-guess herself, she leaned in close and gathered him into a tight hug.

His whole body went stiff at her touch. For a moment he stopped breathing, but the frantic beating of his heart reassured her that he was definitely still alive. After a short moment his breath found him again, coming in sharp, uneven gasps. She was about to pull away and ask him if he was all right, when he unfroze and eagerly returned her embrace. His unsteady fingers cleaved to the fabric on the back of her costume, and a brief moment later she heard the distant sound of his remote hitting the ground far below.

And suddenly, she remembered what his mother had said—so long ago, it seemed—about how in calm, happy moments she could see in him a different person, from before his villain days. For the first time, WordGirl could see it too. Somehow she sensed that the boy in her arms was not the same Tobey who had tried to dominate and defeat her countless times, but rather a strange, lonely child who was afraid, vulnerable… sweet, even.

Once again, her paradigm was shifting. Her whole perception of Tobey was changing. He wasn't a villain to her anymore, he was a boy genius. He wasn't a destructive headcase, he was a brilliant inventor. And it was clear to her now that all of his outbursts and tantrums and threats had really been the desperate cry of a lost soul who no one—not even he himself—truly understood. She had a feeling that, even with her best efforts, she could never _completely_ understand him. Even so, she really wanted to try.

"Let _me_ define you." she whispered softly in his ear. "Just for a little while, until you're ready to take over for yourself… Okay?"

She waited for Tobey's answer. None came, except for a pained whimper as he held her even tighter.

In that moment the heartfelt words of none other than Princess Triana came back to her, filled with a passion that her mind's ear had never quite heard before.

 _"Can you not see who he truly is,"_ she had said, _"and that he is in terrible pain?"_

As WordGirl pulled away from Tobey and watched him frantically wipe his eyes, she couldn't help but smile and think that, just maybe, there _was_ a lost prince in there after all.

Swallowing her pride, she said with a snap of her fingers, "Oh! I have to give you a reward for not destroying me."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Tobey said awkwardly, waving her off and shaking his head. "I never really _wanted_ to—"

He went dead silent and stiff as a board when she leaned in close, and softly kissed his warm, tear-stained cheek. A split-second later she pulled back, tasting salt on her lips, and fixed her eyes on his face. His stupefied expression might have made her laugh if it didn't look as though he were about to cry again. He remained silent, and she did likewise, until at last he tore his gaping eyes away from her. Staring instead out at the twilight on the horizon, he swallowed and let out a faint, shuddering breath.

Repressing an amused chuckle, WordGirl took to the air and hovered just in front of him, reaching out a friendly hand.

"Come on, Tobey," she encouraged softly. "Let's go home."

He hesitantly lifted his head up and met her smile with the most sincere and vulnerable expression she had ever seen. His mouth hung partly open and his round eyes sparkled with new tears. For a moment he didn't move. Then at last he bit a trembling lip, and slowly reached for her hand.

As their fingers touched, the first rays of dawn lit up the morning sky.

« ... »

 _Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins._

— _1 Peter 4:8_

* * *

 ***melts into a warm, fluffy puddle* I kind of wish there weren't so many loose ends to tie up, because that last part would have been the _perfect_ way to end it. :3 Alas, I have far too much fun with denouement, so I'll be back for more in a week or two. XD**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _When Morning Comes_ _—_ And now you know what inspired the cover art for the story! XD Yeppers, that scene where Becky reaches her hand out to Tobey as he sits in the tree is what I had in mind when I commissioned my sister to draw that picture. If you look carefully, you can see in the picture that Tobey is just starting to reach out his own hand. :3**

 **- _Tobey and Becky Sittin' in A Tree..._ _—_ You have no idea how much I agonized in the planning stages of this fanfic over whether or not to have Becky actually kiss Tobey at the end there. DX As much as I loved the significance and sweetness of it, it just seemed soooo OOC, even at this point in the story. It's just not the kind of thing Becky would even think to do on her own, I mean… she's 12! No to mention she isn't the least bit attracted to him right now, especially after what just happened. I knew right away that if this kiss was going to happen, it needed to be motivated by pity rather than affection and inspired by some external source rather than her own feelings. It was starting to look like I wouldn't be able to make it work, and then I thought of the Princess Triana Parallel. I thought, if Becky could actually connect Tobey to the Ogre of Castlebum, then the emotions she already associates with that story in tandem with her heartfelt desire to help Tobey just _might_ be enough to motivate that kiss. X3 I don't know how well I was able to pull it off, but hopefully it at least doesn't come off as ridiculously OOC. For those who need a reminder, 'Princess Triana and the Ogre of Castlebum' is an in-universe novel that was introduced in the episode of the same title. At the end of the book the heroine Princess Triana defeats the ogre by kissing him on the cheek, which turns him back into the long-lost Prince VanLandingham. My novelization of this scene from the book was shown in chapter 4, and you guys might be interested to know that I wrote it for the specific purpose of foreshadowing Becky's kiss in _this_ chapter. ;)**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Sound the Bugle_ _" by_ _Bryan Adams_ _—_ I see this song almost like a narrative covering the climax of the story. It starts two chapters ago, with Tobey sitting alone in in that tree, feeling like all is lost and accepting in his heart that there's no hope for him. It progresses gradually into this chapter, when he opens up about how he's feeling to WordGirl. Then, in the bridge, her encouragement finally cuts through his despair and rekindles his drive to conquer his problems and life life to its fullest. T-T**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Start Over_ _" by_ _Royal Tailor—_ This is Becky's heartfelt appeal to Tobey. She's asking him to step out in faith, let go of the past, and trust that she'll be there to help him through it.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _The Eleventh Hour_ _" by_ _Jars of Clay_ _—_ This is the subconscious plea that Tobey's heart has been screaming all this time, finally coming to the surface. It's him accepting that he _wants_ to change, asking her to help him change, and at long last believing that she isn't going to abandon him when he does. :3**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Winds of Change_ _" by_ _Kutless_ _—_ This right here is a thing of beauty. I don't think I need to explain a thing. ;)**


	22. Compunction

**Foreword:**

 **I've struggled these past few weeks trying to get the denouement chapters to take form, and I'm sad to say that it's been a slow process and the next chapter, as well as the preview for it that I send to my reviewers, may be longer in coming than usual. Sorry. :( The good news, though, is that I now have a pretty solid plan for the rest of the fic, so progress should be steady from this point on. :)**

 **I hope you guys like this chapter. I know I sure do.**

* * *

Compunction [k _uh_ m- **puhngk** -sh _uh_ n] – a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain.

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The window was still open from last night, and Tobey held his breath as Becky gently carried him through. Somehow it was almost strange to feel solid ground beneath him as she set him down on the floor of his upstairs bedroom—as though his perception of reality had changed since the last time he was here. The warmth of her touch left him, and he managed with an inordinate amount of difficulty to stand on his own two feet.

Though, he still couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes. He felt like his heart was on fire—alive with a tumultuous blend of wildly different emotions. It was so strange… Becky was right _there_ , and yet all he could do was stare at the floor.

"Well, here we are." she muttered softly, breaking the long silence. Tobey hadn't said a word since she'd lifted him out of that tree, and neither had she.

"Mmm," he muttered. He had yet to find his tongue, and he couldn't struggle out any more than this.

"Hey… are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with worry. Worry for her… friend. Like the angel she was.

Tobey nodded, though he wasn't sure if he was being honest. His whole body felt heavier—and yet somehow lighter than usual. He felt lightheaded, and weak in the knees. Was he okay? Truthfully, he wasn't sure.

"Oh," she said suddenly. "Do you want me to go get your robot?"

"I'll get it later," Tobey mumbled, managing his first words since Becky had knocked the sense out of him with a few words of her own.

"Okay, well," she muttered uncertainly. "I guess… I'd better get home, then. I'll see you at school later, right?"

There was a hopeful, concerned tone in her voice that beckoned him louder than he could ignore, so Tobey forced himself to lift up his head and face her. His heart thundered in his chest when he met her captivating eyes—so full of warmth that he could have sworn he was melting. It was a wonderful, horrible feeling.

"Y-Yes," he managed, swallowing hard. "I'll be there."

"Glad to hear it," she said with a smile, clasping her hands in front of her. Her posture was so delicate and sweet, she hardly looked like a superhero. She looked more like… a girl. A beautiful, noble, kindhearted girl, who actually _cared_ about him. Even though he had…

A sharp ache seized his chest before the thought could finish taking form.

"Bye then," she said with a wave, drifting gracefully out the window.

And then she was gone.

For a moment all was still and silent, but Becky's voice echoed in Tobey's ears almost audibly. Her scent and her warmth lingered as though she were still there. Absentmindedly he reached up and pressed his palm against his left cheek. It was so hot one might've thought he had a fever. Her kiss had lasted less than a second, but left him with a myriad of thoughts and feelings that it would surely take hours to sort through.

Without warning Tobey's strength gave out, and he collapsed to the floor on his knees. Bent double and staring once more at the floor, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful and terrible feeling.

The simple truth was, it didn't make sense for Becky to care about him. He had hurt her, tormented her, frightened her… and after all that, she still had the good grace to worry about him. Despite what he'd done to her today and countless other days, she had hugged him— _kissed_ him, even—and called him her friend. Tobey's heart ached as he remembered what he had done alongside what _she_ had done, comparing and contrasting the two for the first time in his life. He was afraid when he realized that the emotion he was feeling was the same one he'd felt when he nearly destroyed Katie's birthday cake a year ago, and when he had made Becky cry two weeks ago.

Finally he was able to recognize it…

Remorse.

Tobey clasped his hands over his chest, and a tear rolled down his cheek. He hated this. It hurt more by far than any injustice that had ever been done to him. When someone else did _him_ wrong, he had recourse. He could scream and rage and try to get even. There was an outlet for his pain, and a target for his anger. Now that _he_ was the guilty party, there was nowhere for his pain to go, and nowhere to direct his anger but back at himself.

The irony was infuriating. He was angry at himself for doing wrong, and yet the person he'd _wronged_ wasn't angry at him. So what was he supposed to do? What did Becky want from him if not to punish him for all he'd done to her?

The answer, of course, was obvious. But could he do it? Did he really have it in him to do what she wanted? To _be_ what she wanted? Then again, after all that had happened, did he even have it in him to stay the same? At the moment, he wasn't sure which would be harder.

Tobey clenched his fists, and drew a sharp breath. The very thought of facing the future as a _good_ boy rather than a villain—it was so alien to his mind that it was frightening, but there was one thing of which he was absolutely certain. He would _much_ rather be Becky's friend than her enemy. The joy she had imparted to him through one simple hug surpassed any he had ever experienced as a villain. It was a difficult choice, but a clear one. Nothing compared to her. Nothing even came close.

She was, without a doubt, the most important person in the _world_ to him. If she truly _cared_ about him… if she actually _wanted_ to be his friend… he didn't have the right to remain her enemy. Nor did he want to.

He still didn't know what to do with all these conflicting feelings of misery and ecstasy, but as the decision to relinquish his old life solidified in his mind, a feeling of peace settled over him like a warm blanket. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders—one that he never even knew was there.

Tobey heard the door to his room swing open, and he looked up to see his mother step somberly forward. Her face was downcast, consumed with a grief-stricken expression… but when she lifted her eyes and saw him, her countenance lit up with surprise.

"Tobey?"

Tobey swallowed and hung his head in shame, realizing with his own rush of surprise that he felt bad for running away from home. He could tell by the look on his mother's face that he'd hurt her, just like he'd hurt Becky. And for the first time in his life… that bothered him.

"Mom," he muttered past the lump in his throat. He didn't have time to work up the courage to say more, because within the same second she had crashed to her knees in front of him. The look on her face was so turbulent that he couldn't tell whether it was a combination of livid and heartbroken or livid and relieved.

"What in the world were you _thinking_?!" she demanded, seizing his shoulders and shaking him so hard that he felt like his brain was coming loose. "How could you, Tobey?! Do you have any idea how—how—?!"

She cut herself off mid-sentence, seething and clutching his arms so tightly that it hurt. Tobey just hung like a rag doll in her crushing grip, staring up at her with gaping eyes. The cumulative impact of everything that had happened tonight, compounded with being shaken senseless, had sent him into what his frazzled mind could only describe as shock.

A sudden wave of dizziness sent his vision into an erratic blur, and he collapsed in his mother's arms. He heard her gasp in surprise, and her hold on him suddenly felt tighter… yet somehow more tender than before. Perhaps he'd become delusional. At least he had something less embarrassing than sentiment to blame for what he was about to say.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he murmured, his small voice muffled against the moist fabric of her blouse.

It was all he could find the words or the energy to say. He was so tired and overwhelmed that he lacked the strength to endure any longer. Already his mind and body were growing weak in mutual surrender, and for the first time in his life, he welcomed defeat.

His brain slipped into a dreamy fog, and he breathed in sweet relief as his consciousness began to slip away. As he left the waking world behind, he thought he heard his mother say, 'I'm sorry, too…'

…but it might have been his imagination.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

WordGirl zipped through the sky on her way back home, disbelievingly replaying the past hour in her head. She was out of sorts in the best way possible, dizzy with a feeling of relief mixed with sheer amazement. In the midst of the chaos swirling through her mind she was slowly becoming aware that tonight, although it had been painful and terrifying, she had seen Tobey's true heart for the first time. His true fears, and true desires. His true self, without the villainous front that he put forth as a defense mechanism. Thinking about how starkly this truth contrasted her old preconceptions, WordGirl wasn't sure which shocked her more: the realization of who Tobey truly was, or the idea that the real Tobey was someone she could actually see herself growing close to.

Head and heart abuzz with all these crazy thoughts and feelings, she smiled and ambivalently looked forward to a sleep-deprived day at school to sort it all out.

Momentarily she spotted her house, and frowned in surprise at the sight of a police car parked outside. Curious and more than a little worried, she descended into the front yard where she transformed back into Becky. She then rushed to the front door and burst inside.

The first thing she saw was a police officer standing in the kitchen talking to her mother, who nervously wrung her hands as she spoke. Bob paced back and forth across the living room floor while Dad and TJ sat together on the couch staring at the ground with matching worried grimaces. As soon as TJ noticed his sister, however, his expression changed to a surprised smile.

"Becky!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

"Good gravy, she's back!" said Dad.

"Oh! That's her," her mother said to the policeman, pointing wildly in Becky's direction, and Bob shrieked in happy surprise.

The four of them rushed her in unison and attacked her with a hug, swallowing her up in such a tight hold that she couldn't even ask what was wrong. Then again, she was probably too discombobulated to do that, anyway.

"Well, that wrapped up quick," said the officer, heading for the door. He stepped outside and shut the door behind him, leaving the family to continue smothering Becky in a group hug while she puzzled internally over what this was all about.

Just as she was about to say something, Mom fervently asked, "Becky, where on Earth have you been? First I hear that Tobey's gone missing, and then _you_ disappear!"

The group stepped back, and as the pressure all around her released, Becky could feel the blood drain from her face. Of _course_. She'd been so worried about Tobey that she took off in the middle of the night without telling anyone. Why had it not occurred to her until now how worried her family would be to find that she was gone without a trace?

"We were all so worried about you, hon," her Dad inserted.

"Yeah, what's the big idea?" TJ huffed, clenching his fists at his sides and wearing an indignant frown. His eyes looked red and glassy, and Becky marveled in awestruck surprise that TJ— _her_ TJ—could be so deeply upset over her disappearance. It made her feel touched, and also guilty.

"I," she muttered, swallowing hard. "I was…" She scrambled to come up with an excuse, but hesitated.

 _"_ _Lying doesn't befit a heroine, WordGirl!"_ Tobey's pained voice shouted in her mind's ear, and she shuddered as she remembered the tormented look on his face. She had been shocked at how badly her habit of keeping secrets had hurt him, even though she had already hurt Violet the same way. How many of the people closest to her would have to be hurt by her lies before she was willing to let go of her secrets?

Heart wavering with worry and remorse, she looked from TJ up into the waiting eyes of her parents. Confusion, relief, curiosity… their expressions told her everything she needed to know about how this night had treated them. They had all been so afraid of what might have happened to her, because they all loved her so much. They wanted to know why their Becky had disappeared without a trace… and they deserved the truth.

She turned to Bob, desperately seeking some kind of confirmation, and her faithful partner nodded his consent with a somber look on his face.

Becky turned her gaze to the floor, and as she made her decision she was struck with apprehension. What would her family think of her? Would they be proud? Afraid? Angry? Would they hate her for lying to them all these years? Would they ever forgive her? Would they even let her keep being WordGirl?

She was still floundering somewhere between her resolve and her fears when she softly murmured, "I… found Tobey."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Dad exclaimed.

More surprised than impressed, Mom asked, "But… _how_?"

Becky bit her lip, and nervously closed her eyes. If Tobey could find the strength to make a choice that would change the course of his future, so could she.

"Well, you see," she said in a small, wavering voice, "The truth is…"

She drew a long breath, reaching deep into her heart for the courage to finish what she'd started so many times before.

This was shaping up to be the biggest day of her life.

« ... »

 _My days have passed, my plans are shattered. Yet the desires of my heart turn night into day; in the face of the darkness light is near._

— _Job 17:11-12_

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. The story is now functionally complete. X3 I still want to take a few chapters to tie everything up in a nice fluffy bow, but if you're not the type of reader who likes drawn-out endings with copious amounts of closure, you could stop reading right here and it would be totally fine. :)**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _I Will Find You In The Darkness_ _—_ I love redemption stories. As such, I loved writing this story more than I can say. I think the reason these kinds of stories resonate so strongly with me as a writer is because of how they parallel and strengthen my relationship with God. When I was born into this world, I was lost, but He found me. He loved me in spite of all my faults and failings, and he suffered tremendously to pay the price for my redemption so that I could be saved. His is the kind of love that can change a person at the most fundamental level. The kind of love that patiently waits, relentlessly pursues, faithfully perseveres, and never loses hope. When you realize that someone loves you _that_ _much_ , you can't help but love them back, and that's how redemption works. All I can say is that if God feels as good when a person comes to repentance as I felt when I finally reached this chapter in Tobey's journey, I think I can understand just a little where He finds the patience to put up with all the crazy things that we humans do. David Hodges really nailed it in the chorus of his song 'Desert Lands'— "I will give my life to win your heart, and I will tear apart my soul. I'll give away all I know to bring you home. For all that is true, for all of the way, with all of my life. You hold my heart. You have my love. You are my bride." T-T**

 **- _L_ _ife_ _C_ _hange VS_ _H_ _eart_ _C_ _hange_ _—_ This, my friends, is why the story had to go on so long past so many points where things looked like they were wrapping up. I hope it's clear now to anyone paying attention that all the changes and turnarounds that Tobey demonstrated before now—whether in this fic or in the actual show—were superficial changes. Sure there were times when he showed a deep, obvious need to receive the kind of love and support that no one in his life could give him as a villain, but it was never corroborated by an equally deep decision to embrace _fundamental_ change. I realized as I wrote this story and winced periodically at how long the outline was getting, that it was gonna take a lot of time and more than a little push to bring Tobey to the precipice of repentance. Because in order for him to undergo true and lasting change, he needed to allow the very core of his identity to shift. The decision needed to get past his head and penetrate his _heart_ before it was going to mean anything, which meant I needed to finish breaking him before I could fix him. T-T I am reminded of a quote for Tony Robbins, I think, that a wise coworker of mine once passed along to me: "Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change."**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Breaking the Habit_ _" by_ _Linkin Park_ _—_ The overall tone of this one, particularly in the verses, applies more to earlier, when Tobey was still very much a villain. The resolution, however, encapsulates the 'heart change' I was talking about earlier, and how Tobey has at long last decided that he's going to do whatever it takes to break off the destructive influences from his past and become a better person.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Vindicated_ _" by Dashboard_ _Confessional_ _—_ Pretty self-explanatory, this one. I especially like the line, "I am captivated, I am vindicated," because the meaning of the name 'Becky,' when traced back to it's root form 'Rebecca,' actually means 'captivating.' :3 Incidentally, there's also a really adorable moment in 'Trustworthy Tobey' where Tobey exuberantly shouts, "I am vindicated!" :P**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Breathe_ _" by_ _Anberlin_ _—_ "This is surrender…" and a lovely thing it is, too. T-T**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _The End is Where We Begin_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ This is sort of an endnote in musical form showing how the ending of the story leaves the characters at a new beginning. The redemption arc of Tobey's story is over, as is the secret-keeping arc of Becky's. Now they both have to face a future where they are more vulnerable, but also less alone than they were before. :) The first verse is Becky, the second is Tobey, and the rest is the resolution that has been born of all that's happened.**


	23. Instauration

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Two-Brains Forgets' and 'Becky's Baditude.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Holy rusted metal, Batman! As of chapter 22, _Saving Tobey_ is now the _most reviewed fanfic_ in the whole WordGirl category! o.0 *sniffles* And it's all thanks to you wonderful readers. Seriously, thank you so much, guys! :3 You've made what I thought would be a scarcely noticed return to fanfiction such a mindblowingly wonderful experience, I just—I just don't know what to say… T-T**

 ***composes self* Okay, well, this chapter took a long time to finish, but on the bright side, it's also the longest chapter yet** ** **.** As promised/warned, I present to you the first installment of my self-indulgent fluff fest. I hope everyone who's decided to tag along for the ride enjoys it. :)**

* * *

Instauration [in-staw- **rey** -sh _uh_ n] – renewal; restoration; renovation; repair.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Becky uncapped a bright orange marker and added a tick to the paper hanging on her wall labeled, 'Days Without A Robot Attack.'

Thirteen. It was hardly a record, so she supposed she should still be a little nervous, but somehow she just couldn't help feeling optimistic. Something about Tobey was different since they had simultaneously officiated and reconciled their friendship. He was more stable somehow—more content. Humbler. Happier. Like a whole new person, yet still the same old Tobey. It was a strange, and yet deeply comforting paradox.

Finished updating the tally board, she swept over to her calendar a few feet away and couldn't help but chuckle at the irony as she marked off the last day before Tobey's thirteenth birthday. If she were superstitious, she might be concerned about all the thirteens popping up today. As it was, nothing short of a baker's dozen robot assault on the city could kill her enthusiasm. In spite of all the dread and fear that Tobey's birthday had represented a few months ago, the day had become cause for celebration. She had done it! She had saved him! Or rather, _he_ had done it, and had saved himself. Either way, knowing that he was okay—that her enemy-turned-friend would spend this important year of his life healing instead of rotting in a jail cell—meant more to Becky than she could possibly express. That didn't mean she couldn't put in her best effort, though.

It was too bad his birthday fell on a school day. If it had been just one day earlier, they could have celebrated it on the perfect Sunday waiting outside right now. She clipped the marker back into its sheath and deftly flicked it into the pen holder on her desk with an optimistic smile. Shame though it was, the timing of Tobey's birthday wasn't without its advantages.

When she'd teasingly asked Tobey last week if she was invited to his birthday party, he had cockily stated that birthday parties were a waste of time. With more prodding, however, she'd gotten him to admit that he'd told his mother several years ago not to bother with them because he didn't know anyone to invite who she would allow into the house.

Becky had just stared at him in quiet sympathy, then spent the rest of the day formulating a plan.

"Hey, Bob," she called to her sidekick, who was reclining on her bed doing a crossword puzzle. "Do you remember what I did with that bag of decorations I bought yesterday?"

Bob shrugged without looking up from his puzzle, earning an annoyed frown from Becky.

"I think you put it on the shelf above your bed," suggested a familiar disembodied voice.

Becky lit up with welcome surprise. "Well, look who finally found his tongue! Where've _you_ been these past few chapters?"

"Uh…"

"Stunned silent again?" She playfully crossed her arms and said, "That's okay. I understand. Thanks for the tip, by the way."

She hovered straight up to the shelf high above the bed's headboard, where she immediately found the missing bag. The glittering assortment of colorful streamers inside was sure to make any kid smile, she thought. Even a party-pooper like Tobey.

"Becky," TJ's voice said out of nowhere as he wandered into the room. "I can't find my—WHOA!"

He backed up a step, eyes bugging. Becky gasped in surprise and dropped the bag, spilling streamers all over her bed. It was only then she remembered that she was floating a foot above her pillow.

"Oh, sorry, TJ," she mumbled, flushing with embarrassment as she alighted on the floor beside her bed.

"No, that's—that's okay," her brother rasped, putting a hand over his chest and heaving a relieved sigh. "I'm just—still getting used to it, that's all."

Bob indulged a chuckle at TJ's expense, and Becky shot him a disapproving frown. He smiled with an unrepentant shrug and set to work picking up the scattered streamers. Before she could scold or thank her monkey friend, her brother started to leave, and she called out on pure instinct, "Um… TJ?"

"Yeah?" he answered, looking back at her with a thoughtful look on his face.

Becky hesitated. She'd felt certain a moment ago that she wanted to say something to him, but now she couldn't remember what—or rather, she couldn't think of a way to put it into words. It was more something she wanted to _know_ than something she wanted to _say_. She wanted to know that TJ accepted her. As Becky. As WordGirl. But most importantly, as his sister. She wanted—no, _needed_ —to be sure that her years of dishonesty hadn't cost her the respect of her only sibling.

She took a deep breath, and gingerly murmured, "You're not—mad at me, are you?"

He didn't _seem_ mad, but she honestly had no idea what that meant. Every time she'd looked at TJ since revealing her identity to her family, she was assaulted by the memory of how he had reacted the first time he'd found out she was WordGirl. His memories of _that_ ordeal had been erased, but not hers. She remembered all too well how livid and disgusted he had been in the face of the truth. She remembered how, rather than his affection for WordGirl transferring to Becky, his disdain for Becky had transferred to WordGirl—tenfold. She remembered feeling like… he hated her.

"Why would I be mad?" TJ asked, surprising Becky out of her woeful thoughts.

"For… being WordGirl?" she muttered, tapping her fingers together and avoiding his eyes. "Or, for not telling you I was WordGirl? I don't know…"

She was too uncertain to think straight. How was she supposed to reconcile the inconsistency between how TJ had acted the first time and how he was acting this time? _This_ time when he'd learned her secret, there had been no outburst, no childish explosion of disappointment and rage. This time he had gone blank and quiet, like he was processing everything internally rather than spewing it all out into the open. Becky didn't know whether that was a good sign, or a cause for even greater concern.

TJ hesitated for a long moment before he opened his mouth to reply. "I don't really know."

Becky swallowed, her heartbeat quickening. For the first time she asked herself what she would do if he _didn't_ accept her? She desperately wanted to believe that she and TJ had grown closer in the few short years since the amnesia incident. _She_ certainly felt like they had. They had been through a lot together—both in civilian life and the occasional crossing of paths during superhero hours. But what did that mean for them now that he knew who she was? Would the closeness make it easier for him to forgive her? Or harder?

"I don't think I'm _mad,_ " he added suddenly, cutting into her thoughts. "I'm more like…"

He trailed off, and Becky grew apprehensive again.

"Repulsed?" she offered. "Disconcerted? Discombobulated?"

"I… don't know what any of those words mean," TJ said, and as she was reflexively sticking her finger in the air he threw up his hands and added, "I don't need you to define 'em, Becky! I just…"

He trailed off again, eying the floor and looking like he was thinking hard. Rather than try to help him with words, Becky bit her tongue and forced herself to wait patiently for him to speak on his own.

"It's super weird," he said at last. "And it'll probably take a really long time for it to _stop_ being super weird… but once it does, I mean…"

He hesitated for another tense moment, then looked up at Becky with a shallow smile and said, "My sister is WordGirl. How awesome is _that_?"

Becky felt a hopeful warmth rising up in her heart, and she returned TJ's smile with grateful tears beginning to tickle her eyes. "Almost as cool as _you,_ " she murmured, her quivering voice failing to capture the cocky, playful tone she had intended.

"Oh, no," TJ said, taking a step back. "If you're gonna mush out on me, I'm outta here."

He trotted off, clueless as to just how greatly his clumsy words had comforted his sister. She beamed after him for a solid minute before her reverie was broken by a voice calling for her somewhere in town.

"WordGirl! Come quickly!"

Becky gasped. "That's Mom!"

Bob chirped in alarm and cast aside his crossword, hopping on her back as she urgently shouted, "Word up!"

« ... »

WordGirl whipped into the grocery store in a panic with Captain Huggyface clinging 'round her shoulders for dear life. She located her parents instantly and flashed to their side. It didn't _look_ like anything was wrong.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking around for some sign of danger while her sidekick moaned and relaxed his grip.

"Oh, hello, _WordGirl_ ," her mom greeted with a pronounced wink. "So nice of you to come flying to the grocery store just for little old DA Botsford. What an honor, right Hon?"

She elbowed her husband and Dad beamed. "Oh, yes, _such_ an honor, especially being that WordGirl has the whole city to worry about and we're just a couple of ordinary, run-of-the-mill townsfolk."

He too winked at her, and WordGirl forced an insincere chuckle. TJ wasn't the only one still getting used to this. If only she could so quickly and easily dispense with her feelings of awkwardness and nervousness as her parents had. She swallowed and tried to put forth a confident air. "So, um… what seems to be the trouble, average citizens to whom I certainly have no special relationship?"

Behind her, Huggy drawled that condescending groan that meant he was rolling his eyes.

Mom and Dad both giggled under their breath, then mom explained with a smile, "Well, _WordGirl_ , you see, my daughter _Becky_ is throwing a surprise birthday party for Tobey McCallister, and I was wondering…" She held up two packages of colorful plates, one in each hand, and said, "In your professional opinion, which do you think he'd like better, gold stars or robots?"

WordGirl blinked and heard her sidekick give a flustered chirp. "Robots," she placidly murmured. "Definitely robots."

She was about to jet back home to finish her own party preparations, when out of nowhere that skittish man with a ponytail whose name she still didn't know burst onto the scene, screaming and flailing his arms per his usual routine. "Heeeeeeeelp!" he shouted in a panicked voice. "Dr. Two-Brains is at the beach getting ready to do… something!"

He calmed for a moment, looking confused, and predictably said, "Wait…"

WordGirl zipped off, leaving her folks to answer his question about the police station, and seconds later she and Huggy were downtown facing a mouse-shaped blimp with a huge ray suspended from the bottom of its cockpit. Sure enough, her favorite mouse-brained criminal was hanging halfway out one of the windows, laughing maniacally as the blimp neared the waterfront.

"Dr. Two-Brains," she called out in a stern voice, striking up a charismatic battle pose. "I thought you were still in jail."

" _Please_ , WordGirl, I broke out almost two weeks ago," Two-Brains retorted with a roll of his pink eyes. "Honestly, I'm kind of offended that you didn't notice. Things going well with Tobey, I take it?"

WordGirl frowned. She had half a mind to lecture him about how his indiscretion in telling Tobey about her personal mission had nearly destroyed her chances of reaching him. However, she took a deep breath and thought better of it. She'd decided to take responsibility for the consequences of her secrets, hadn't she? And it wouldn't do any good to blame a deranged mutant scientist for blabbing something that probably shouldn't have been a secret to begin with.

"Fine, thanks for asking," she grumbled with her arms crossed. "And I hope you enjoyed your two-week vacation, because now it's back to jail for y—!"

"WordGirl!"

She froze. It was her dad this time.

"Um," she muttered sheepishly, "hold that thought. I'll be right back."

"Oh, _seriously_ , WordGirl? We haven't even started to fight yet!" the villain complained, his misgivings corroborated by an incredulous squeal from the chimp on WordGirl's back.

"This'll only take a second," she assured, and with that she jetted off and was back at the grocery store in a jiffy.

Her Dad smiled up at her. "Oh, there you are. What do you think? WordGirl napkins, or robot napkins?"

He held up the two options for her to see, and Huggy smacked himself in the face. The bewildered superheroine hesitated for a long moment before uncertainly drawling, "Rrrrrrobots."

Just then yet another familiar voice caught her ear, and she turned to see Scoops and Violet come wandering out of a nearby aisle.

"I know they might be a little juvenile," Scoops said, looking down at a pastel colored package in his hands, "but I honestly don't think Tobey is nearly as sophisticated as he thinks he—"

He stopped mid-sentence, glancing toward the Botsfords. "Oh, hey, WordGirl," he said with a friendly wave. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Botsford. Fancy seeing the three of you out in public together for no apparent reason."

Violet smiled and cordially asked, "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Mom snickered. "Oh, Violet, don't act like you don't know."

WordGirl tensed and glanced nervously around to see if anyone was close enough to have heard her. What was her mother thinking?! She was about to nervously blast some hasty denial or attempt at changing the subject, when Mom jumped right back into the conversation, still looking at her friends. "So, have you two picked out your presents yet?"

WordGirl went silent for a stupefied moment, then relaxed, feeling a bit silly.

 _Right. The party._

Of course that was what her mom was talking about. She needed to learn to have the same faith in her family that she had in her friends. They wouldn't betray her trust. They might occasionally do a pretty bad job of keeping her identity a secret, but in all fairness, so did she.

In response to Mrs. Botsford's question Scoops proudly held up the box in his hands, and through the clear plastic window on the front WordGirl could see four nostalgic figures inside, each one a different primary color. "Check it out," he happily announced. "I found a limited-edition set of Squishy Fun Bots bobbleheads!"

"Oh, that's perfect!" exclaimed Mr. Botsford.

"Just what _I_ thought," Scoops bragged, suggestively rolling his eyes off to the side as he added, "And if _Tobey_ doesn't want them…"

At that Huggy cheered excitedly, missing Scoops' subtext, and WordGirl clarified with a chuckle and a gentle whisper in his ear, "I think what he means is that _he_ wants them if Tobey doesn't."

Huggy wilted.

"How about you, Violet?" Dad asked.

Violet closed her eyes and announced in a serene tone, "I'm giving him a gift from the heart."

She raised a hand to her chest, and Scoops regarded her with a confused, almost worried expression. "…Meaning?"

"Something I made myself," Violet explained.

"Oh," Scoops said, relaxing. "What did you make for him?"

Violet put a finger to her chin and stared off into space like she was deep in thought. "I'm not sure… I don't think I've made it yet. But once I make it, I'm sure I'll know what it is."

WordGirl joined everyone in staring at her in silence for a moment, then smiled fondly. Only Violet could say something like that and have it make perfect sense—even if no one had any idea what to say.

Suddenly her super-hearing picked up Dr. Two-Brains' impatient voice yelling from across town, "Helloooooo? WordGirl! I'm about to turn something very big into cheese and there's no one here to try and stop me!"

WordGirl gasped. "Uh-oh, I've gotta go. Tell your daughter—who certainly isn't me—that I said hi."

"Will do," Dad said with a wink.

With a flustered Huggy in tow, WordGirl flew back to Dr. Two-Brains in no more than two seconds. It still wasn't fast enough to keep him from complaining.

"What gives, WordGirl? I'm having deja vu here."

"Sorry, I just had to check on something," she casually explained, dialing on the superhero charisma as she added with a finger in the air, "But I'm here now, and I'm ready to stop you from—!" She paused. "Uh… what _are_ you planning to do with the beach, anyway?"

Two-Brains donned a menacing grin and gestured down at his new toy. "Say hello to the Desoggification Ray, Mark 2! See, I realized last week that I was thinking too small with my aquarium heist. Then I thought, rather than using my new ray just to desoggify the fish crackers I made/stole, I could use it to dry out the whole coastline and then help myself to an entire ocean of delicious cheesy fish crackers! Ooh, I can already taste 'em!"

He rubbed his hands together while excitedly licking his lips. Captain Huggyface gave a knowing groan as WordGirl cringed in disgust.

"Okay, first of all, 'desoggify' isn't a word," she said. "You're thinking of the word 'dehydrate,' which means to lose or deprive of water. Second of all, you'll never get away with threatening the beach and marine life that the people of this city depend on for food and summer fun!"

The doctor grinned in sinister anticipation. "We'll see, won't we?"

He pulled the Mark 1 _Dehydration_ Ray out of a pocket in his lab coat and fired without warning at WordGirl. She dodged out of the way and the orange blast of energy seared past her and struck a young boy's meticulously crafted sand castle far below. The structure promptly collapsed into a pile of bone-dry powder and blew away in the wind, leaving the poor kid who'd built it to burst into tears.

WordGirl turned on the mad scientist with a vengeful look in her eyes. "All right, Doc. Now you're asking for it!"

She charged the blimp, but Dr. Two-Brains had already charged the big ray. With a loud thundering a wide beam seared through the air toward her. She dodged out of the way and the ray shot into the ocean, vaporizing a large bubble of seawater. Immediately the ocean receded a little from the coastline, leaving behind a thick strip of wet sand that would have been perfect for making sand castles. WordGirl gasped in alarm and flashed around to the other side of the mouse blimp.

"Huggy, we can't get between him and the water, or he'll dehydrate the whole beach!"

Her sidekick chirped in agreement. Thankfully all the people had already fled the area, meaning she just had to worry about battling Dr. Two-Brains with a limited range of mobility. That was going to be harder than it sounded, though, considering that the mad scientist had _two_ rays for her to worry about.

"WordGirl!" Mom's voice shouted for her once again. "We have one more question, if you don't mind!"

WordGirl heaved a flustered sigh and dodged another blast of the smaller dehydration ray. "Oh… this is getting a little out of hand."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," the Narrator chimed in. He cleared his throat and emphatically announced, "And then Dr. Two-Brains' ray suddenly overheated and became useless for at least ten minutes!"

A loud mechanical warble issued from the villain's blimp and WordGirl turned around to see his new ray cease to function, spewing smoke from the barrel that normally spewed deadly orange beams.

"Oh, cheese and crackers!" Two-Brains exclaimed, hovering over the ray with a disappointed and confused look on his face. "It's overheated! It's gonna be useless for the next ten minutes, at least!"

WordGirl beamed while Huggy jabbed a thumbs-up toward the sky.

"Nice," she said.

"Hey, just 'cause I'm not the writer doesn't mean I can't make stuff happen," the Narrator puffed self-importantly. "Besides, the writer is getting lazy now that the main plot is over. All she really cares about anymore is fluff."

WordGirl donned a quizzical frown. "What do you mean by 'fluff'?"

"Oh, you'll see," came the suggestive reply.

WordGirl and Huggy exchanged a shrug.

"Well, since we're waiting anyway," the superheroine addressed her foe, trying to sound innocent, "I'll just go see about something and come right back."

"Now, hold on a minute!" the doc grumbled, but he was too late. She was already zipping back to the grocery store.

Her parents were in a different aisle now, and no sooner than she'd arrived her Dad pointed to the pinatas. "Do you think we should get the WordGirl pinata, or the robot pinata?"

Captain Huggyface chirped happily and hopped down to the floor to gape longingly at the many bags of candy in the Botsfords' cart. WordGirl, however, blinked and shied back, perturbed by the irony. "Neither!"

She stared disgusted at the frilly paper construct designed in her likeness, shuddering at the thought of a dozen happy children beating it to pieces with a stick. "Honestly, why would they even _make_ a WordGirl pinata?"

No sooner than the words had left her mouth, Chuck moseyed down the aisle and smilingly placed the WordGirl pinata in his cart. He then trundled obliviously past her, whistling a happy tune.

WordGirl was speechless. Guess that answered _that_ question. In her moment of flabbergasted weakness she thought to ask if they had a Gill Bates pinata, but immediately felt guilty and dismissed the idea. However, something else nearby caught her eye.

To her left there was a bargain bin full of used books, movies, and video games, and she happened to notice, sitting on top of the pile, a discounted copy of the WordGirl game that she and Tobey had played when he visited a few weeks ago. Struck by the coincidence of it, she drifted over and picked the game up, thinking back on that day for what must have been the fifth time that morning.

With an involuntary chuckle, she felt the sudden urge to buy it for him. It was a silly idea, considering how terrible Tobey fared at it and how TJ already had a copy that they could play. Besides, she'd already bought a gift for him. Still, she was tantalized by the thought of how the two gifts would play off one another if she got them both, and it _was_ only five dollars.

She floated over to her mother once more and held out the game with a smile. "I'd like to get—uh, I mean—I believe your _daughter_ would like to get this for him as a birthday present. You can take it out of my allowance—I mean _her_ allowance! Your daughter's, that is."

WordGirl chuckled sheepishly. At this point she could practically feel the annoyance radiating off Captain Huggyface, and she purposely avoided looking down at him.

Mrs. Botsford gave a sympathetic smile as she took the game in hand. She looked it over, then traded her smile for a doubtful look as she cupped her hand over her mouth and softly whispered, "It's a cute idea, dear, but… I don't think Tobey has a game station."

"Don't worry, it's not _really_ for playing," she explained in a low voice. "It's a sentimental gift."

"Ooh, 'sentimental,'" her mom gabbed happily, raising her voice and offering Dad a meaningful wink. " _There's_ an interesting word, eh Hon?"

"Sure is! I wonder what it means," Dad said, passing his wife's wink on to his daughter.

WordGirl donned a fond yet awkward smile, and resisted the urge to return their winks with a roll of her eyes. Why shouldn't she oblige them, though? They were her parents, after all. Nothing had really changed except that now they knew it. "Sentimental means having to do with the expression of feelings or emotions, especially tender ones like affection, pity, or nostalgia."

"Oh, well that's a lovely reason for a buying useless present," Mom said shamelessly, tossing the game in her shopping cart. "Consider it bought and paid for— _WordGirl_. Oh! While I've got you here, let me ask one more thing. What kind of cheese do you think I should get to go with sour cream and dill flavored crackers?"

WordGirl faltered for a second, taken caught off guard by the bizarre and conveniently specific question. Finally she muttered, "Uh—you know, I'm not sure. Hold on a minute…"

Seconds later, she was back at the beach.

"Hey, Doc, what kind of cheese would go with—?"

"Wait, time out," he insisted, spreading his arms and hands. "What are you _doing_?"

WordGirl hesitated for a second before answering. "Oh, just… getting ready for a party."

"Oooh, am I invited to this party?"

"Uh…"

"Then shut your mousetrap and focus on the battle!"

"Has your ray cooled down yet?"

This time, it was Doctor Two-Brains' turn to hesitate and look embarrassed. "Not… quite."

"Great! So, while you're waiting, what kind of cheese would go best with sour cream and dill flavored crackers?"

The doctor crossed his arms and disdainfully muttered, "Am I being paid for this consultation?"

"Uh… sure."

He heaved an annoyed sigh. "That'd be Camembert."

"Thanks."

WordGirl smiled at the villain as he glared impatiently at his steaming ray, and she suddenly felt a little guilty. She knew that his asking if he was invited to the party was meant to be a somewhat rhetorical joke, but even so… she felt bad not inviting him. His assistance, though frustrating at times, had proven absolutely essential to her quest to rehabilitate Tobey. All the same, she wasn't sure it was a good idea to invite a villain to the birthday party of a former villain who was trying to go straight.

"Um," she muttered, rolling her eyes off to the side.

The mad scientist pointed angrily in her face and snapped, "Hey, now don't you fly off again, Missy!"

"I'll just be a second," she assured, zipping off.

"Oh, where have I heard _that_ bef—?"

"Here you go," she interrupted, true to her word and back from her errand.

The Doctor blinked in what she could only surmise was surprise, then glanced down at the small blue envelope she was holding out to him. He gingerly took it from her, opened it, and pulled out the colorful sheet of paper inside.

 _Maybe he won't even want to come,_ she told herself. _Maybe he already has other plans… or, if this battle ends well, maybe he'll even be in jail._

Whatever happened, she'd made up her mind. She just wouldn't feel right not inviting him after how much he'd helped her.

After a moment of silence he lifted his eyes from the invitation, wearing a somewhat stupefied expression.

"No offense, Kiddo, but I have better things to do with my time than go to a—wait, you said there would be cheese, right?"

"Um… yes?"

He smiled excitedly. "Well in that case, I'm there!"

WordGirl returned his smile with a genuine, if less enthusiastic smile of her own. Sure she was a little nervous about having him there, but she wasn't going to let that trouble her. It would all work out somehow. She was sure of it.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" She handed out another, larger envelope in her other hand, hooking a pen to the package with her thumb. "Would you like to sign Tobey's birthday card?"

Two-Brains heaved an annoyed sigh, then grumbled in resignation, "Oh, all _right_."

He took the card and scribbled something in it before handing it back to WordGirl. Curious, she opened it to see what he'd written, and scrunched her face up in confusion.

"'HBDTB?'" she read, puzzled.

"Yeah," he stated casually, "'Happy Birthday' signed, 'Dr. Two-Brains.'"

WordGirl's confused face remained, but she forced herself to draw it up in a grateful smile. "Okay, well… thanks, Doc."

Like a broken record, her Mom's voice called out of nowhere, "WordGirl!"

"Oh, for goodness' sake," she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Um… Doctor Two-Brains?"

"Oh, never mind, just go," Two-Brains groaned. "Maybe as soon as you leave my ray will conveniently start working."

WordGirl gave a sheepish grin and flew back to the grocery store, trying to restrain her annoyance as she asked her parents, "What is it _this_ time?"

"Oh, we don't need anything," her dad bubbled innocently. "We just thought you might want to know that you left your sidekick behind."

WordGirl blinked, then looked down at a disgruntled Captain Huggyface who was crossing his arms and tapping his foot next to their shopping cart.

"Oops," she muttered, flushing and fingering her face. "Sorry, Huggy."

Just then the maniacal laughter of none other than Dr. Two-Brains tickled her super-hearing, along with an excited, "Sweet cream cheese icing, it's working again!"

"Uh oh," she muttered. "Come on!"

She scooped up her sidekick and blasted once more to the beach. When they arrived the ray was charging up, pointed directly at the rising tide.

"Huggy, enact Emergency Plan #758!" she ordered.

The chimp nodded, and she flung him directly at the mouse blimp. He soared headfirst and open-mouthed toward the target, and bit hard as he made contact. A loud _POP_ cracked through the air, and Captain Huggyface was shot back toward WordGirl by the current of air that blasted from the tear he'd made.

WordGirl caught her partner effortlessly, and the two of them watched with mild amusement as the punctured blimp zipped haphazardly through the air like a balloon. Just before the whole apparatus smashed into the sand below, three little figures jumped ship and deployed yellow parachutes. WordGirl grinned victoriously and quickly rounded them up, gathering the three chutes into a messy plastic ball from which hung a despondent Dr. Two-Brains and his hapless henchmen.

"Nooooo! My brilliant creation," the doctor lamented, reaching pathetically toward the blimp and ray, which had crashed full force into the beach and crunched together into a useless lump in the sand.

"Cheer up, Doc," WordGirl said, feeling that this time she should comfort him rather than gloat. "Tell you what? Since you've been such a big help to me lately and since you didn't successfully turn anything into cheese this time, I'll let you go rather than taking you to jail."

The mouse man looked up at her with a sparkle in his pink eyes and the shorter of his henchmen muttered in an awed voice, "You would do that?"

"Sure," WordGirl replied. "What are friends for?"

Huggy looked like he was about to voice disapproval, but then looked thoughtful for a second and ultimately smiled and nodded graciously down at the captured criminals.

WordGirl drifted to the ground and set the threesome down on the messy sand. "Before you go, let me run and get the cheese to pay you for that last consultation."

To her profound surprise, Dr. Two-Brains just shook his head and said, "Oh, never mind. That one's on the house."

"Really?"

She could hardly believe it. Dr. Two-Brains turning down free cheese? She never thought she'd see the day, and it warmed her heart.

"Really," the saintly villain drawled in reply. "Now get outta here before my second brain changes its mind."

WordGirl smiled and compliantly rocketed off into the afternoon sky.

Some people might think she'd lost her mind, but she just had this feeling that tomorrow was going to be perfect.

« ... »

 _Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness, And rivers in the desert._

— _Isaiah 43:19_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _TJ's 'OOC' Moment_ _—_ Those of you who have seen 'Two-Brains Forgets' may have noticed that I made TJ act very differently in my fic than he did in that episode when he found out his sister was WordGirl. If so, I'm sure you also noticed that I drew attention to this, so it was an intentional discrepancy. My justification for it is that 'Two-Brains forgets is a very early episode in the series and as such, I imagine it as having taken place 2 or three years ago. TJ is still TJ, but I really do think that he has matured a little, and, as I said in the chapter, he and Becky have grown closer after various bonding experiences such as we see in episodes like 'Chuck's Brother,' 'Dr. No-Voice,' and 'Leslie Makes It Big.' (Thanks to Cody Hobgood, by the way, for his advice about improving the scene with TJ. It was a big help!)**

 **- _Listen for the words 'dehydrate' and 'sentimental'_ _—_ Yay! We're back to defining words again! Oh, how I've missed this… X)**

 **- _Fish Crackers_ _—_ In case anyone's forgotten, this is a reference back to the first chapter where Two-Brains was attacking the City Aquarium and turning all the fish into cheese crackers. Call it beating a dead horse, but I'm just a sucker for bringing things full circle and tying the beginning and ending of the story together somehow. Plus, it was just really fun being able to squeeze in Dr. Two-Brains one last time. :3**

 **- _Camembert_ _—_ I have no idea what kind of cheese actually goes with sour cream and dill crackers, but to be fair, I don't know if they even _make_ sour cream and dill crackers, so I'm just pleading WordGirl and moving on. :P**

 **- _Squishy Fun Bots_ _—_ This is a Teletubbies-esque children's show that everyone in the WordGirl universe seems to love, WordGirl included. Though Tobey himself never made an appearance in 'Becky's Baditude' (the episode that introduced the Funbots), I always thought it would make sense for him to be fan—or a closet fan, at least. :P**

 **- _HBDTB_ _—_ This is an inside joke. My dad would always write this on birthday cards that got passed around the office, and when _his_ birthday came, all his co-workers signed his card the same way. :P Incidentally, his version was only one letter off from Dr. Two-Brains'. :)**

 **- _Emergency Plan #758_ _—_ I didn't bother checking the whole series to make sure this plan isn't 'taken.' Hopefully it isn't already claimed in the canon as a double back flip or something.**

 **- _Am I forgetting anything…?_ _—_ Yeah, probably. X(**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Looking Up_ _" by_ _Safetysuit_ _—_ This song is about the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, so it perfectly captures the _spirit_ of this whole denouement arc of the story. Not all the specific things mentioned in the lyrics fit _literally,_ but there are a lot of places where the parallel to things like rain clouds and cancer could be symbolic.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _I'm Letting Go_ _" by_ _Francesca Battistelli_ _—_ This is about Becky's hopeful resignation in the wake of her decision to let all of her loved ones in on her secret. I don't think I've ever heard a song about relinquishing control that's so optimistic, and I've gotta say, I love it. :)**


	24. Clandestine

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episode 'It's Your Party and I'll Cry If I Want To.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **Ugh... Sorry this chapter is late too, guys. These past couple of weeks have been really busy/stressful, and on top of that this chapter just _refused_ to let me write it sometimes. *glares at chapter* Honestly, ****I _still_ feel like it isn't quite ready yet, and there are some parts of it that I'm just not happy with yet... but I don't want anyone to think I've abandoned the story, so I'm gonna go ahead and post it the way it is. Maybe I'll tweak it some more later if I can find the time.**

 **Anyways, thanks again to everyone who gave me feedback on the preview I sent out. As always, you were a big help! :)  
**

* * *

Clandestine [klan- **des** -tin] – characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

" _Let_ me _define you,"_ she had said. The words still resonated in his mind, and still quaked his heart every time he remembered them.

For what felt like the millionth time, Tobey sat beside his mother as she drove him to school. Out the window he saw the same gray sidewalks, the same boring people, and the same dull scenery pass by in the same alternating blur of motion and stillness. The way was so familiar he probably could have walked it in his sleep. And yet, something about it had seemed different in recent days. Somehow it seemed… brighter… more alive. Suddenly these tired old sights were worth the looking again.

Of course, he knew that nothing about the world around him was actually different. It wasn't the sights that had changed, it was his sore eyes. It was like the first time he'd put on a pair of glasses. He never even knew he needed them until suddenly he could see, and after that it felt as though he were seeing everything for the first time.

Drawing a long breath, Tobey took off the thick, round lenses that had marked him for years, and absentmindedly wiped them against his shirt as he stared out at the now even blurrier scenery outside his window. Although he was grateful for this chance to see the world with new eyes, the peace had brought with it an ironic restlessness.

The sting wasn't as potent now, but he still felt the remorse he'd first discovered two weeks ago. It still hurt to think of how detestable he'd been to Becky, and how badly he wished he could take it all back. She had given him so much, while he had only taken. Her kindness in the face of his abuse was nothing short of mind-boggling. It made him feel so happy and yet so guilty. He had to do something about these contradictory feelings, or they would keep pulling him in opposite directions until they tore him apart.

"Is something the matter, dear?" Mother asked.

He looked up to see that the car was stopped at a red light, and his mother was staring right at him with an unmistakable concern in her eyes.

Remembering Becky's words yet again, Tobey pushed aside his initial impulse to lie and instead obeyed a deeper longing to confide in his mother.

"Mom," he mumbled in a sincere, vulnerable voice without an accent, "What do you do when you realize that you've done something terrible to someone you care about?"

His mother looked surprised, and a flicker of a smile betrayed her. "Well, that's simple, dear," she said, turning her eyes back to the road as the light turned green. "You apologize."

Tobey blinked. She was right. It _was_ simple. Almost _too_ simple, it seemed…

"That's it?" he muttered. "Just apologize? You don't have to atone for your mistakes, or earn forgiveness, or make it up to the person you wronged?"

"You can do those things if you feel like you should," Mom said with a chuckle as she turned onto the street that bordered the school. "But none of them will mean anything without an apology."

Tobey went quiet, reluctantly allowing his mother's wisdom to sink in.

Apologize? He couldn't _apologize_. He could hardly _remember_ the last time he'd apologized. Why, he wasn't even sure he remembered _how_. Surely there was some other way that he could communicate to Becky how deeply he regretted the way he'd treated her!

 _But it won't mean anything,_ his conscience reminded him, _without an apology._

It really was _terribly_ simple… So why did it feel like it would be so hard to do?

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Becky skipped off the school bus so lightheartedly that she had to be mindful not to levitate. The May sun was smiling down at her, so she smiled back. Today was the first day of the last week of school, and then she had Summer vacation—not to mention her birthday—to look forward to. Today, however, brought its own cause for celebration. Today was someone else's birthday.

She looked up as she trotted toward the school, and as though in response to her thoughts, the McCallister's car pulled up along the sidewalk just across the street. Tobey climbed out of the back seat with a passive expression on his face, and then the vehicle drove off as quickly as it had arrived.

As Becky set off to meet him she saw a cyclist come speeding toward him, and before she could call out he had knocked Tobey over on the hard pavement. She gaped angrily as the man continued on his careless way, leaving poor Tobey quite literally in his dust without so much as shouting an insincere apology. Of all the nerve… She had to remind herself that Tobey was doing essentially the same thing not two months ago.

Exhaling her anger in a single flustered breath, she looked back at Tobey. She was about to rush to his side and help him up, but when she saw the conflicted look on his face as he lifted his head, she was suddenly overcome by a burning curiosity. He didn't appear to have seen her yet. What would he do, she wondered, if he didn't know she was there to witness it?

Acting on impulse, Becky hopped behind a mailbox and poked her head out the side just enough to spy on Tobey from across the street. Heart pounding with anticipation, she watched him rise stiffly to his feet and glare in the direction that the rude cyclist had gone.

"Take a few deep breaths," Becky mouthed to herself, reciting back the advice she'd given him a few weeks ago for when he got angry.

To her profound relief, Tobey did just that, drawing in and puffing out several flustered breaths.

"Kick something soft," Becky continued hopefully.

Tobey gave a nearby bush a good hard _whack_ with his left foot.

"…and let it go," she finished.

Tobey huffed in resignation, crossing his arms, and continued on his way toward the school building.

Becky's face broke out into an exuberant smile. "'Atta boy."

With that, she left her hiding place and dashed across the street to meet him.

"Hey there, Tobey," she greeted as she caught up with him, pretending she hadn't seen anything.

He flinched and gave a surprised yelp as he turned to face her.

"B-Becky," he greeted clumsily. He was still using his British accent, though the new humility in his tone made it sound a lot less condescending and arrogant than it used to. Why, he almost could've passed for one of the mild-mannered English boys from so many of the classic novels Becky had read. The thought almost made her chuckle.

"How—was your weekend?" he asked.

Becky restrained a coy grin. If only he knew. Of course, she was hardly about to _tell_ him that she'd spent the last two days buzzing around like a bee getting ready for _his_ surprise party this evening.

"Oh, it was absolutely ebullient," she replied, using the most obscure word she could think of. She wanted to see if Tobey's newfound humility extended to admitting when he didn't know what a word meant.

She could tell that her furtive challenge had been effective, as Tobey's flutter of mild-mannered surprise disappeared and his familiar brazen ego came rushing to the surface with a smug grin.

"Ebullient?" he muttered with a raised eyebrow. "Are you testing me, Becky Botsford?"

"What makes you say that?" Becky said innocently. "I just used the best word I could think of to describe my weekend. But if you don't know what it means, I'd be happy to educate you."

Tobey raised an eyebrow and retorted with a faint chuckle, "Well, farbeit from me to deny you the innocent pleasure of defining a word. Praytell, what _does_ 'ebullient' mean?"

Clever. He'd figured out a way to ask without acknowledging whether or not he already knew. She shouldn't have expected any less from Tobey. He was indeed getting smarter by the day.

Becky smiled. "Ebullient means high-spirited or overflowing with excitement. In other words, I had a wonderful weekend."

"I'm glad to hear it," Tobey said. To her surprise he softened once more, and his face took on a childlike glow as he gently murmured, "Um, Becky… There's something I want to tell you… I realize a lot has happened these last few months, and I'm not usually one for reminiscing about the past, but… I've been thinking about the way you—I mean the way _I_ —"

He trailed off awkwardly and took a deep breath. Curiosity piqued, Becky hoped that once he'd composed himself he would be able to articulate whatever it was he was trying to say. Alas, after he cleared his throat, he just continued talking in circles.

"I hope you don't think that my efforts recently have been insincere or motivated by self-interest—which is not to say that I don't hope your opinion of me will continue to improve as I do—but I do have regrets, particularly about the way I've treated you in the past, and I wouldn't want you to acquire the false impression that I'm not aware of just how—how…"

He trailed off again, and Becky restrained a giggle. She wasn't sure why he was having such a hard time communicating, but apparently the frustration was making the blood rush to his head. Despite his struggle, she couldn't help but feel amused to watch the once proud and fearless Tobey wallowing in such a distressed state of humility. Her compassion and curiosity won out, however and she opted to rescue him before he gave himself a headache.

"Tobey, it's all right," she cooed with a comforting smile, "You don't have to use the perfect words. Just say what you want to say."

He looked her in the eyes with a soft, nervous expression, then swallowed and hesitantly murmured, "I'm sorry."

This time Becky restrained a gasp. She knew that he had genuinely changed, but still… she hadn't expected him to apologize for anything. Certainly not after just two weeks.

"I caused you a great deal of undeserved hardship," he continued as she stood there dumbfounded. "I hope you can forgive me."

Becky had to be careful not to let her mouth hang open as she stared at the tender, forlorn look on Tobey's downcast face. Her heart was so stirred at his words that she found herself wondering how she could have ever borne malice toward him.

"Oh, Tobey," she said with a wistful smile, "I forgave you a long time ago."

Tobey looked up at her, surprise lighting up his eyes. "Really?"

Becky nodded, and relished the blissful grin that spread across his face. The school building was right in front of them now, and he suddenly skipped a pace or two in front of her, then turned back to face her as he held open the door.

"After you, my dear," he said with a respectful nod, then suddenly flushed and hastily added, "I mean… after you, Becky."

Becky smirked and rolled her eyes. Only Tobey would ever think to call her 'my dear.' Funny… If he'd said such a thing six months ago, she would've been bothered by it. She would have been self-conscious about the other kids nearby and the whispers and glances that might come her way. But now?

Well, things were definitely different now, but _how_ different? Sure he wasn't a villain anymore, but he was still _Tobey_. Shouldn't she still be disgusted or at the very least annoyed by the way he would stumble into such curtly affectionate parapraxes at the most random of times? One would think that, even now, she would hate it.

Truth be told… she didn't.

She didn't hate it at all.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

The school day went slowly as Becky looked forward to the evening's festivities. Periodically she found herself glancing over at Tobey, and somehow every time he turned and caught her eyes, as though he could tell when she was looking at him. The first few times she just bashfully turned her attention back to her desk, and after that she made it a point not to stare at him anymore.

Once English class finished around 2 o'clock, she gathered her things and stealthily made her escape. She'd asked for permission to skip the last class of the day so she could go help her parents and Mrs. McCallister finish setting up for the party, and thanks to her stellar GPA (minus Art, of course), her request had been granted. After she'd ducked into the playground and safely transformed into WordGirl, she was clear to jet off and release all of her pent-up excitement. It felt _wonderful_.

She landed on the welcome mat of Tobey's house, rang the doorbell, and barely realized she was still WordGirl in time to change back before the door swung open.

"Becky," Mrs. McCallister greeted with a bright smile. "You're earlier than I expected."

"Uh—well…" Becky chuckled nervously. Tobey's mother wasn't exactly on the need-to-know list yet, but still… she was hesitant to simply spout off one of her usual flimsy excuses.

"Oh, never mind, dear," the woman said with a wave of her hand, saving her without even realizing it. "Come inside. There's still plenty of work to do."

She ushered Becky into the house and the girl smiled around at all the beautiful decorations adorning the place. Her streamers were artistically laced and intertwined up and down the stair railing (Violet's work, no doubt), and a very interesting chandelier hung from just behind the front door that seemed to be made of notebook paper (that was likely Scoops).

Becky followed in silent admiration as Claire led her down the hall, until the woman stopped suddenly just before the living room, staring at the wall to her left with a distant look on her face.

"Goodness, this year went so fast," she mused, and Becky noticed that she was looking at one of the pictures of Tobey that were displayed all throughout the house—this one from when he was in preschool by the looks of it. "I can't believe my Tobey will be starting high school soon… I hope he doesn't have _too_ hard a time."

Becky noticed the concern in Mrs. McCallister's loving gaze, and collapsed into her own pensive musings about Tobey's future. Even if villainy was behind him, there were still problems that were sure to haunt him in future years—the same problems that had led him to villainy in the first place, as a matter of fact. His genius in tandem with his quirky personality made it difficult for him to get along with other children, and she didn't imagine this issue would be alleviated when 'other children' became 'other teenagers.'

Just when Becky was starting to feel hopeless in the face of these worries, an idea occurred to her, and she acted on it before she could think twice.

"Um, Mrs. McCallister?" she timidly ventured. "About that… I know you want Tobey to be around people his own age, but—I really don't think he belongs in public school. He's so smart that the material isn't challenging for him and honestly, I think he might get along better with adults than other kids."

She paused to bite her lip. The contemplative look on Claire McCallister's face was impossible to read, and Becky couldn't tell whether she was receiving her advice or judging her for it. "So, uh… if you don't think it's too crazy of an idea… maybe you might consider letting Tobey take his GED exam next year and then he could move straight on to college."

Tobey's mother was quiet for a moment, her thoughtful expression unchanged, until at last her lips stretched into a soft smile. "Thank you, Becky," she said with a slight nod. "I'll think about it."

Becky smirked happily. It wasn't much, but it was something, and something was definitely better than nothing.

« ... »

The party preparations went smoothly—once Becky gave up on trying to help with decorations, at least. When school got out, guests started arriving, and Becky took up a post by the door to greet and usher people inside. She had managed to convince most of the kids in Tobey's class to come, though many of them had agreed quite reluctantly and only after much reassurance that there would be lots of cake and no robots. Her mom and dad helped her deliver on the first half of that promise by bringing a robot-shaped ice cream cake that almost filled a whole table, and Bob was on watch for real robots, _just_ in case.

Becky's nerves began to act up not long after the school bell had rung in her mind. Mrs. McCallister had signed Tobey up for an after-school activity to keep him busy while everyone came, but knowing Tobey, he'd finish it in half the expected time. She knew it wouldn't do any good to fret, but she couldn't help worrying that some kind of contretemps would transpire. What if Mrs. McCallister got the call to pick Tobey up from school before all the guests were present? Or worse, what if Tobey came home on his own using some new gadget she didn't know about and actually _s_ _aw_ the guests arriving? Becky would be devastated if the surprise was spoiled. She'd put so much effort into planning everything in secret!

The doorbell rang in the midst of these worries, and Becky just about rocketed through the ceiling. Was that him? Was he _here?_ She tuned her ears to the front door and heard two happy voices that were most certainly _not_ Tobey. She breathed out in relief, reminded herself once more how silly she was being, and politely opened the door.

She should have known it would be Katie and her mother. Scoops had told her that they tended to show up late, and Becky had made _sure_ to invite them. Katie had been so sweet to Tobey at her own birthday party, especially considering he'd nearly smashed her cake.

Katie's mother held a large box wrapped in shiny silver paper and greeted Becky with an endearing smile. The chubby young girl at her side bubbled in a sweet, babyish voice, "Hi, Becky! Thank you so much for inviting me!" For no apparent reason she grew sheepish and softly added, "Are you sure Tobey won't mind?"

"Why would he mind?" Becky asked.

Katie blushed and twiddled two of her fingers as she explained. "Well, I didn't invite him to _my_ last birthday party, and he was pretty upset."

"Oh, that? Don't worry about that," Becky said with a flippant wave. "He was mad at first, but he got over it pretty fast, and we actually had a lot of fun afterward."

"You did?" Katie questioned. "That's weird, I don't remember you being there…"

Becky's eyes bugged. A few people added to her circle of intimate trust, and already she was getting sloppy about distinguishing between times when she was herself and times when she was WordGirl. "Oh, well, I just—I was—"

"I don't mean to interrupt you girls," grunted Katie's mom, hefting the huge box in her arms, "but this thing is kind of heavy."

Both thankful and embarrassed, Becky apologized profusely and took the birthday gift from Katie's mother, rushing it off to the present pile in the living room (probably faster than she should have been able to). The woman chased after her the whole way, insisting that she could get it herself, while Becky insisted right back that it was no trouble. Bob laughed impishly on the sidelines, and even TJ seemed to be holding in a snicker.

Katie wandered into the room a moment later and immediately dissolved into admiring the meticulously constructed setup. Becky took another look around, and found herself doing likewise. She'd really outdone herself, and thanks to everyone's help, it showed. Tobey's mother had provided a detailed list of all his favorite foods, and they covered three tables. Everything looked and smelled delicious—even though a few things were a bit exotic for a room full of grade-schoolers. The Botsfords had set up several games and activities, including a homemade pinata in the shape of a building and 'Pin-The-Antenna-On-The-Robot.' A boombox in the corner was playing Tobey's favorite music—which, unfortunately, was the one part of the party that Becky didn't like.

One glance up at the nearest clock and her nerves came back with a vengeance. Tobey would be finished at school anytime now. Thankfully, with Katie and her mom's arrival, all of the guests on the list seemed to be present and accounted for… all except for Dr. Two-Brains.

Becky was beginning to have second thoughts about inviting him, but it was too late to worry about that now. Knowing him, he'd show up halfway through the party, call it 'fashionably late,' and then only stay long enough to devour all the Camembert. It didn't really matter, though… as long as he didn't blow the surprise. If _that_ happened, WordGirl would probably be paying him an unplanned and quite unpleasant visit in the near future—one in which there would be no cheese exchange.

The phone rang.

Becky froze, shouted for everyone to be quiet, and then listened in heart-pounding anticipation as Mrs. McCallister went to answer it.

"Hello?" the woman said cheerfully into the receiver.

Becky felt her nervousness melt into excitement. It was time. Everyone was here, everything was ready, and Tobey still had no idea what was—

"Detention?" Mrs. McCallister exclaimed.

The smile fell from Becky's face.

Villain or not, that boy was a genius at causing problems for WordGirl.

« ... »

 _After I strayed,_ _I repented;_ _after I came to understand,_ _I beat my breast._ _I was ashamed and humiliated_ _because I bore the disgrace of my youth._

— _Jeremiah 31:19  
_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Katie_ _—_ At this point, I think this hardly merits an explanation, but for the sake of being thorough, I'll go ahead. Katie was introduced in 'It's Your Party and I'll Cry If I Want To.' She had a birthday party and failed to invite Becky or Tobey, incurring the ire of the latter to the point where he was about to destroy her cake out of spite. At the last moment, however, he had a fit of conscience and decided not to. Afterward WordGirl was so impressed with his decision that she took him out for ice cream (it's implied, at any rate :P).**

 **- _It's Too Late to Apologize_ _—_ I said that Tobey can't remember the last time he apologized because _I_ can't remember a time when he sincerely apologizes in the show. If anyone knows different, by all means, let me know.**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Already Home_ _" by_ _Thousand Foot Krutch_ _—_ This is basically the struggle Tobey is going though as he continues to surrender his pride and embrace this new life of his… and, of course, the joy and hope that he continues to see as the fruit of that struggle. :)**


	25. Swivet

**Foreword:**

 **I have a confession to make… The title 'Saving Tobey' is—kind of an inside joke. See, there was this social phenomenon called 'Save Toby,' where these two guys held a rabbit for ransom. I won't go deep into detail, but you can look it up on Wikipedia if you're curious. Suffice it to say, I may have had this fiasco in mind when I chose the title for this story—which is not to say that I didn't simply _like_ the title, regardless of the ridiculous association. :P**

* * *

Swivet [ **swiv** -it] – a state of nervous excitement, haste, or anxiety; flutter.

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WordGirl landed in the school playground almost hard enough to make a crater, then dove into the robot-head slide that would forever remind her of Tobey. To his credit, the boy had accomplished a tremendous feat. He had gone from her favorite villain to her most frustrating friend, and almost overnight. At the moment she wasn't sure if that was an upgrade or a downgrade, but it was a tremendous feat regardless. Now if only she could get him to convert once more from 'most frustrating friend,' to 'normal friend who didn't test her patience at every turn.'

Back in her regular clothes, she zipped over to the school building and dashed from window to window looking for her troublesome quarry, and within a minute she'd found him. He was sitting alone in the math classroom, crossing his arms and impatiently tapping his foot. He was obviously steaming about something. Well… two could play _that_ game.

She flashed into the school and through the hallways like a gust of wind, then tore into the room like a small tornado.

"Tobey, what happened?" she demanded, balling her fists and wearing a frantic frown. "Why are you in detention?"

Tobey regarded her with a flustered scowl. "Don't ask _me_! It isn't _my_ fault that seventh grade arithmetic is so beneath me that I had to write quadratic equations on my worksheet to keep from losing consciousness out of sheer _boredom_."

Becky blinked in surprise, her aggravation simmering down. "You got in trouble for doing more difficult work than what you were assigned?"

"That's exactly right," Tobey exclaimed. No sooner had the statement passed his lips, however, he looked suddenly sheepish and averted her eyes as he reluctantly grumbled, "Although it _might've_ had something to do with my telling the teacher that her snore-inducing curriculum was to blame when she asked me why I didn't complete my assignment."

Becky grimaced, her aggravation returning full force.

 _Patience, Becky,_ she reminded herself, tightening her fists at her sides. _I expected there to be some rough days… But why did one of them have to be TODAY?!_

"So," she muttered (gritting her teeth to keep from screaming), "how long is she making you stay?"

"She said I could leave when I finish this ridiculous worksheet," Tobey grumbled.

Becky's jaw relaxed. "Well, that's easy! You could probably have it done in five minutes."

Tobey shot her a defiant look. "I refuse! This is child's work!"

"Tobey, you _are_ a child!"

"I still have my pride! I was doing this level of computation when I was in diapers!"

Becky grunted, squealed, and thrashed her fists about in frustration. She didn't know who she was more annoyed with right now—Tobey for being such a stubborn egomaniac, or herself for being so ridiculously determined to keep his party a surprise. "Oooooh! Tobey, why do you have to be so _i_ _ncorrigibl_ _e_?! Which, for your information, means _extremely_ resistant to change, even when it's healthy or necessary!"

"I stopped being a villain, didn't I?"

"Yeah, after putting up _extreme_ resistance!"

"Maybe _I_ can be of assistance," the friendly voice of the Narrator came to her rescue out of nowhere. He cleared his throat, calling both Tobey and Becky's attention to the air above them, and dramatically announced, "Just then, a familiar face appeared to help the former boy genius with his math homework."

"I beg your pardon!" Tobey blasted, sounding more than a little offended. "Did you say _former_ boy genius?!"

Before his question could garner an answer, a flash of turquoise light ushered in a perky young alien in a superhero costume.

"Did I hear someone say 'math homework'?" He shouted exuberantly, thrusting a fist in the air as he added, "This sounds like a job for… Kid Math!"

"You!" Tobey shouted, eyes gaping. Becky could practically feel the sting of defeat radiating off him, so strong that she almost worried he might pull out a remote and end the robot-free streak she'd been so hopefully documenting. Then again…

"Oh, I'm so glad you came," Becky cut in. For better or worse, she was on board with this. She _needed_ to get Tobey to his house, and she remembered how Scoops had successfully used a similar tactic to get Tobey to fix his camera. Shooting the birthday boy a wry smile, she added, "Tobey here seems to be having some difficulty finishing his homework assignment."

"I am not!" Tobey retorted, going red with ire.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Kid Math assured, obliviously playing right into Becky's ploy. "I've found that struggling with arithmetic is quite common for the average child on your planet."

Before Tobey could gather his seared wits enough to snap back, Kid Math picked up the worksheet and held it up for Tobey to see, indicating the first problem and happily explaining, "All you have to do is take the numerator—that's the number on top—and divide it by the—"

"Give me that!"

Tobey snatched the paper and slammed it onto the desk in front of him. With a flustered huff he hunched back into his seat and set to work, sparks flying off the page as he defiantly ( _and_ compliantly) tackled the assignment.

Becky gave a triumphant smile. It was nice to know that _some_ good could come of his ego, if you knew how to coax it out of him.

"Well, Kid Math, it looks like Tobey has this handled after all," she said, adding in a low whisper so that Tobey couldn't hear, "I'll see you later."

"Later?" the other hero asked, looking confused.

Becky blinked, and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. How could she have forgotten to invite _him_ to the party? He was one of the people who helped her win over Tobey—although, granted, he wasn't even _aware_ of it.

"Uh—Wow, it's getting hot in here all of a sudden," she exclaimed, wiping her forehead. "Kid Math, why don't you and I step outside for some fresh air while Tobey finishes his detention work?"

And with that she grabbed the other hero by his foot and dashed out of the room, dragging him behind her like an awkwardly shaped balloon.

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Tobey strolled out of the school in a foul mood. He couldn't help feeling like he'd been played, and even putting that aside, he still just felt annoyed in general. If he never saw that irritating little hack of a superhero again, it would be too—

"Quick!"

Tobey looked up from his brooding to see Becky rushing toward him. "Come on," she shouted urgently. "We've got to go!"

"Go where?" he asked.

Instead of answering, Becky seized his right wrist and bolted off with him in tow.

"Hold on, Becky! What's this about?" he called out to her, struggling to match her pace. The urgency in her frenzied gait gave him the impression that she might actually drag him along behind her if he tripped. "Hey!" He shouted when she failed to respond. "Slow down!"

She was deaf to his questions and protests—either too focused to hear them or just flat-out ignoring them—and so there was nothing Tobey could do but continue to yell and stumble along behind her, trapped in her wake. He wondered if she would even notice if his wrist broke.

They came to a traffic light, where Becky was forced to stop for the first time since the school. Tobey gasped for air, his muscles crying out in relief. He shot a frown up at Becky, planning to demand an explanation from her as soon as he caught his breath. She was looking up at the heavy traffic clogging the intersection before them with a nervous expression.

"Oh," she groaned, fidgeting fretfully. "At this rate we're going to be too late!"

"Too late for _what_?!" Tobey blasted.

Becky rounded on him, making two determined fists. "No time for questions, Tobey! We have to get to your house ASAP!"

"Confound it all, Becky, _WHY_ _?!_ "

"Looks like I've got no choice," she muttered, yet again ignoring his question. "Come on!"

She grabbed his poor wrist again and whisked him into a deserted alleyway near the intersection.

"Now hold on just a blasted minute, Becky! Just what in the blazes is going—?!"

"Word up!"

She changed into her superhero attire in a flash of light, then swept him off his feet and took to the skies. Tobey cried out in alarm as he was hurdled 30,000 feet into the air at the speed of sound… and then he was in heaven. The wind whipped his hair as they rocketed ahead at breakneck speed. The clouds broke against his face, dappling his skin with soft, cool mist. The rush of adrenaline from suddenly being so high up sent his spirit soaring right along with his body, and the sight of the city rolling by far below was exhilarating. Ironically, however, the best part was owed to the mysterious hurry that had irritated him so deeply just seconds ago.

Usually when Becky carried Tobey she gripped him loosely by the arms and just let him dangle below her, but this time she was going so fast that she had instead bound him up in a firm embrace, clasping her hands like a seat belt over his chest. His pulse against her palms was so rapid that he thought he might have a heart-attack.

Tobey swallowed, gave a nervous yelp, and desperately grasped her hands.

"Don't worry," she said, tightening her grip on him. "I've got you."

He wasn't worried. He'd never been afraid of being up high _or_ of falling. He'd just wanted an excuse.

Too soon, it seemed, Becky reached his house and landed in the back yard. She let go of him while he still had momentum, and he dizzily and painfully tumbled to the ground.

For a moment he was seeing stars. Then Becky's face blurred into view, and the stars turned into hearts.

"Come on, Tobey," she grumbled as she stood over him, back to her normal clothes and testy mood.

She grabbed his wrist—the left one this time, thank goodness, else it might have come disjointed—and pulled him mercilessly to his feet before dragging him around his house to the front door.

"Becky!" he growled as she swung the door open and practically flung him inside. "What in the world is—?"

"SURPRISE!"

The roar of a crowd deafened him, and a throng of smiling people appeared in an instant as the lights flicked on.

Tobey yelped in surprise and fell over backwards, but Becky caught him from behind, excitedly cheering, "Happy birthday, Tobey!"

Tobey was thunderstruck. His eyes gaped at the scene before him while his brain struggled to process what he was seeing. A laughing throng of people including his mother, Becky's family, and what must have been every child in his class and _their_ families, were all congregated just inside his front door. A few of them blew on noise-making party favors. Some clapped and cheered. All of them were wearing party hats. They were all here… for _him_?

"Well?" Becky's voice filtered through the sonorous din, and he suddenly realized that she was still holding onto him. She gave him a light shove and he stumbled forward, managing to seize his wits enough to step through the door. He unconsciously breathed deeply as he was absorbed into the energetic crowd around him, and felt a tightness in his throat as his mind finally registered what was happening.

This was a surprise birthday party—for _him_. Surely he was dreaming.

He gasped as Scoops gave him a hard clap on the shoulder. A bright flash blinded him as his mother vigorously jumped in front of the crowd to snap a photo. Katie laughed and cheered his name, making him feel a small pang of guilt, while Eileen loudly announced that today was _her_ birthday, too. A familiar dark-haired boy with glasses stepped forward and blathered out an awkward greeting, introducing himself as Rex and saying something about how they had never met in battle before, and _certainly_ hadn't seen each other in the past ten minutes. Becky burst into an awkward fit of laughter and commented on what a kidder he was, then grabbed Tobey's hand and whisked him past the crowd and into the living room, saying she couldn't wait to show him what everyone had put together for him.

Tobey smiled and let her lead him, this time without question or complaint. Even if this _was_ a dream, he figured he might as well enjoy it.

« ... »

 _We all stumble in many ways._

— _James 3:2a_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **-** _ **Get on with it, already!**_ _ **—**_ **I have another confession to make...** **Originally this chapter was going to include the party itself as well as the buildup. The thing is, well… I haven't** _ **quite**_ **finished writing the party yet. *** **sweats** ***** **Plus I noticed that** **the chapter is both really long and really late,** **so** **I thought** **I'd just split it in half and post the first part now. I'll post the rest next week (I hope). *sweats some more* I mentioned that you can stop reading any time, right?**


	26. Oenomel

_**Hey, readers! This chapter references the episodes 'Of Two Minds' and 'It's Your Party and I'll Cry if I Want To.'**_

 **Foreword:**

 **I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who has taken the time to read _Saving Tobey_. It means so much to me to know that so many people who I've never even met think my stories are worth their time. :) If any of you would be interested in reading my future work (perhaps even some _original_ fiction? *smiles hopefully*), I'd like to invite you to subscribe to a blog that my sister Lucinda Cottontale and I just launched. There's almost nothing there right now, but in the future we hope to post our thoughts on writing and maybe even start up a web series that we've been developing for a while now. I hope to see you there! :D**

 **justwriters wixsite com/justwrite (remove spaces)**

* * *

Oenomel [ **ee** -n _uh_ -mel] – something combining strength with sweetness.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Tobey couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy.

Between the food, the games, the attention, and even the company, he couldn't have stopped smiling if he'd tried. The only time he felt even mildly irritated was when he couldn't seem to hit the ironic skyscraper-shaped pinata, but the even more ironic fact that _Becky_ was the one to break it made the whole endeavor worthwhile. He couldn't help but laugh as her diapered pet/sidekick dove at the freshly dumped pile of candy on the floor, followed quickly by all the other party guests. He was so amused that he forgot to grab some of the candy himself, but Becky made sure that he got some, giving him even more reason to smile.

When it came time to cut the cake, Tobey noticed that Becky was the only one who didn't sing the birthday song. Wondering why, he remembered what her brother had told him on the day he'd exposed her secret identity about her not being a good singer. Somehow, even so, he felt a little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to hear her sing.

His mother asked him which piece he would like, and he asked for the robot antenna—the piece with the most frosting. He dug into it with relish, and once again couldn't help but chuckle. First he'd watched WordGirl's mild-mannered alter ego demolish a building and now _he_ was eating a piece of a robot. Today was just full of amusing ironies.

The antenna was about halfway devoured when Tobey lost interest in it and found himself looking not down at his plate, but up at Becky. She was standing across the room, eating her own cake and happily chatting with Violet. Up until now Tobey had been so overwhelmed with surprise and excitement that he hadn't had a chance to reflect past the present moment, but now that things were calming down and his emotions were beginning to settle, he found himself thinking about Becky's part in all this.

She had thought of him, she had conceived an elaborate plan to do something nice for him, and she had taken time out of her already busy schedule to secretly put together this party. When he thought of how much work it must have taken, he was left in awe. Everything around him was a testament to how much effort she had poured into this celebration. Surely she had help, but none of it would have happened if it weren't for her. No _wonder_ she'd been so anxious to get him home after school.

His thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected ring of the doorbell, and his mother wondered aloud who it could be as she casually strolled off to the hall. Moments later Dr. Two-Brains of all people burst into the room wearing a broad smile and boisterously greeting, "All right, I'm here! The party can start now!"

All eyes turned to the new arrival, regarding him with a wide range of expressions. Tobey shot a questioning look at Becky, and she shrugged with a sheepish smile.

His mom dashed in on Two-Brains' heels, wearing a confused, rather displeased expression. "Not to be rude," she said, wearing a stern frown, "but I don't seem to recall inviting _you_ to Tobey's birthday party."

"WordGirl invited me," Two-Brains explained.

Mrs. McCallister frowned, looking surprised. "WordGirl?"

"Hey, where is she, anyway?" the villain asked, cocking his head this way and that in a distinctly rodent-like fashion.

Tobey felt a rush of worry and glanced over at Becky. She appeared to be quite nervous and forced a disingenuous smile.

"Oh," she exclaimed. "She—couldn't make it! She, uh—had somewhere else she needed to be."

Tobey looked to his mother, and the befuddled woman blinked silently. "Hmm… Funny, I don't recall inviting _her_ , either."

Feeling Becky's panic as if it were his own, Tobey got to his feet and jumped in with a tone that he hoped sounded playfully indignant. "Oh, come now, Mother, I should think it goes without saying that WordGirl is invited to any social gathering instigated in my honor."

His misdirection seemed to work, for his mom's confused frown melted into an endearing smile as she looked down at him. "Of course, dear," she said with a slight nod. "Shame she couldn't make it…"

Tobey cleared his throat and looked away from Becky. Meanwhile her brother and her monkey sniggered somewhere in the background. It was so strange, this acting like nothing had changed when in fact _everything_ had, all the while trying to pretend it wasn't awkward. If nothing else, this whole situation was giving Tobey a new appreciation for the pressures Becky had to endure in order to maintain her double life.

"Aw, that's too bad," blathered the distinctive voice of Dr. Two-Brains, reminding Tobey that he was there. "Ah, well, I'll probably see her later this week, anyway. Ooh! You got the Camembert after all!"

He zipped off to the food tables and began loading a paper plate with cheese and crackers.

While Tobey was still staring dumbfounded after the bizarre, nerve-wracking display, Becky stepped up next to him and quietly muttered, "Thanks."

"For what?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"For helping with my cover," she said with a grateful smile. "That was really nice of you."

Tobey felt a flutter in his chest, and found himself automatically and sheepishly returning her smile. "You're… welcome."

"Oh, it's so nice to see you, Dr. Two-Brains," Becky's mother bubbled brightly. "I'm glad you could make it!"

"Always a pleasure," Two-Brains replied, catching a piece of cheese that fell from the top of his plate tower before it could hit the ground. "I had to at least stop by and pay my respects."

Tobey frowned. Pay his respects? He made it sound like he was attending a funeral rather than a birthday party.

With a precariously full plate in one hand, the villain licked the gloved fingers on his free hand, then brazenly wrapped his arm around Tobey's back and herded him off to a deserted corner of the room. "C'mere, Kid," he said as Tobey grimaced at the dirty yellow glove resting on his shoulder. "I wanna to talk to ya for a second."

Tobey disgustedly pushed off Two-Brains' hand, and the mad scientist obliviously turned to him and prattled on in a tone so casual it was frustrating.

"So you actually did it, huh?"

"Did what?" Tobey asked.

"'Did what?'" Two-Brains repeated with a chuckle. "Went good. Cleaned up your act. Got on the straight and narrow. Whatever you kids call it these days."

He smashed a piece of cheese between two crackers, then tossed the tiny sandwich in the air and caught it in his mouth.

"Oh," Tobey muttered, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well… yes, I suppose I did."

Dr. Two-Brains leaned back against the wall, smiling wryly. "She finally wore you down, eh?"

Tobey hesitated for a moment, then forced himself to look the man in the eyes. "I… suppose she did." A flurry of annoyance ruffled Tobey's feathers and he crossed his arms at the mouse-man, defiantly snapping, "Not that it's any of _your_ business."

"Hey, I'm not here to judge," Two-Brains rebutted, raising his hands in a gesture of _slight_ respect. "It's fine by me. Heck, it's probably _good_ for me. You were shaping up to be my number one competition a few years down the road. Now I never have to worry about being knocked out of the top villain spot again. Thank you, WordGirl!"

He made a mock salute, then popped a cracker-less piece of Camembert in his mouth and spoke up again before Tobey had a chance to say anything. "Oh, bit of advice, though: if she really is gonna be your main cheese for good, you need to make sure she's the real deal."

Tobey blinked in confusion. "Um… I'm sorry?"

"It's simple. If you're actually ready to give up your entire life for this girl, you need to make sure you know what you're getting into, and that it's what you actually want. I'm just speaking from experience, kid. I've been down this road before. You think you've found the ultimate source of cheese and that you'll never go hungry again, so you pack up all your rays and publicly declare that you've gone straight, and then BAM! Turns out the darn asteroid is made of _goat_ cheese!"

He cringed and grimaced, like he was tasting something unpleasant.

Tobey blinked, wondering yet again if he might actually be dreaming. "I… haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about."

"Heed my warning, Tobey," Two-Brains entreated, ignoring Tobey's comment. "Before you rest all your hopes on her…" He paused, darkened, and finished in a grave voice, "make _sure_ she isn't goat cheese!"

Tobey swallowed a distasteful blend of bewilderment and disgust, allowing a flabbergasted expression to leak onto his face. He didn't say anything, however. Somehow he got the impression that it would be pointless to wonder too much at what on God's green earth Dr. Two-Brains was talking about.

"All right, everyone," Tobey's mother called out from across the room, "Time for presents!"

Tobey perked and rushed over to the table, happy to forget everything the mad scientist had just said. He was practically bouncing up and down as he waited for everyone to gather 'round. There were at least a dozen gifts of all shapes and sizes, and they glittered with colorful ribbons, bows, and papers of every kind.

He really should have anticipated that the actual opening of the presents would be a bit on the disappointing side. His classmates weren't exactly his friends, so naturally they had no idea what he liked. Except for robots. He got lots of robot-themed toys, gadgets, and paraphernalia—all completely pointless, of course. Tobey reminded himself to be grateful, though. That was one of the things Becky kept telling him.

 _Just smile and say_ _t_ _hank you,_ she had said, as though it was the easiest thing in the world to do. Well… at least it wasn't as hard as apologizing.

So, just like she'd instructed, he smiled and thanked each person for their gift, much to their obvious surprise. That seemed to make Becky happy, and that was reason enough to do it. Almost as if in response to his good behavior, the last couple of gifts were, surprisingly, quite desirable.

Scoops had bought him him a set of limited edition Squishy Fun Bots bobblehead figurines, over which he was careful not to show _too_ much enthusiasm. Looking at them made him feel nostalgic for the simple days of preschool, before he became a villain. He'd loved the Fun Bots back then. Truth be told (which it never would be aloud), he still did. It warmed his heart to remember a time when life was simple and happy, even without villainy as an outlet for his frustrations.

Lastly there was a single, appropriately large gift from Violet and Katie. It took him a moment to recognize what it was after he'd opened it, but once he did, he almost laughed at the irony.

"It's the robot eye you gave me for _my_ birthday," Katie explained. "I still have the middle part, though. We're using it as a candy bowl."

It was amazing. The frame had been turned on its face so that the round metal eye, with the red dome-shaped iris removed, functioned as a base. The tangle of frayed wires that had been left springing out the back after the eye was pulled from its socket had been carefully shaped and twisted together with lots of shiny new wire. The wires wound together into braids and coils that flowed, branched apart, and eventually rejoined. The result was a sculpture bearing the likeness of one of Tobey's robots.

Tobey couldn't help but gawk at the detailed craftsmanship. There was even a tiny wire-formed heart on the left side of the robot's chest. Looking at the sculpture, thinking about how it had been made by two girls who he had rarely treated with any kind of respect, he couldn't help but feel… moved.

"It was mostly Violet," Katie said bashfully. "It was her idea, and she did most of the work."

"I wanted to create something that would resonate with your soul," Violet explained in a distant, misty voice with a hand on her chest. "It's a representation of your journey. Your thoughts and emotions are like wires that bend together in a harmonious dance that looks like chaos… until they all come together and you find that they've created something beautiful."

Tobey blinked, trying not to let the extent of his befuddlement show on his face. He thought it had actually resonated with his soul better _before_ she'd explained why it should, but he refrained from saying so. Regardless of whether he shared Violet's artistic vision for the piece, he was happy that she and Katie had worked so hard to make it. Besides, everyone else seemed to grasp the meaning of her poetry—particularly Scoops, who looked like he was about to cry.

"It's… lovely," he said, smiling and nodding to each of the two girls in turn. "Thank you both."

Sadly, after these pleasant surprises came the biggest disappointment. There was no gift from Becky. Why? Hers was the gift he'd been most looking forward to, and she was the last person he would have expected not to give him one. He caught himself before his disappointment showed on his face. Becky's present was the party itself. She'd put a lot of effort into it. Plus, it had proven a surprising opportunity to spend time with other children—and, against all expectation, to actually enjoy it. That was better than any mere object she could have given him.

Not long after that, the guests began to leave. Tobey made sure to thank each of them for coming, bid them a polite farewell, and personally see them out the door. Eventually the only family left was the Botsfords, and Becky's mom offered to stay and help clean up the house before they left.

"Oh, nonsense," his mother said with a grateful smile and a dismissive wave. "Tobey and I are more than capable of cleaning up our house ourselves. Isn't that right, Tobey?"

Tobey hesitated. Truthfully, he would have liked Becky to stay a little longer, but his conscience told him that was selfish. She had already worked far harder than was fair planning and organizing this party for him. It wouldn't be right to expect her to help cleaning up after it as well. However, looking around at all the dishes, spills, trash, and other celebratory byproduct littering the house… he hated to think of how long it would take for just him and his mother to finish cleaning up.

"Of course, Mother," he said with a respectful smile. "It's no trouble at all."

"Why, thank you, Tobey," Mrs. Botsford said, sounding happy—perhaps even a little impressed.

"All right, then," her husband said in a singsong voice. "Let's move out, everybody!"

"Okay, Dad," Becky said, heading after Bob and TJ, who were already out the door.

"Becky, wait," Tobey called impulsively, and he reached out and grasped her arm without thinking.

Becky turned to look at him and smiled pleasantly. "Hmm?"

Tobey's tongue caught in his throat for a second. Why had he stopped her again? He flushed with embarrassment when he noticed that he was still holding onto her arm, and quickly withdrew his hand.

"Thank you, Becky," he murmured, meeting her kind eyes. "That was… quite nice."

Becky beamed. " _You_ were quite nice, Tobey. I'm proud of you."

Tobey blinked, and nearly gasped. Her voice was so sincere. Her smile so genuine. She actually _meant_ it. Even if Tobey hadn't been dumbstruck by her words, he doubted he could have described how wonderful it felt to know that he had actually done her proud.

It was almost enough to make him feel a little proud of himself.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Tobey stood beside his mother in front of a full kitchen sink, rinsing the dishes she passed to him and quietly sorting through a myriad of colorful emotions. He was predominantly happy, no doubt about it, but there were also other feelings… mild guilt, wistful sorrow, distant regret… and presiding over it all, a strange sense of peace. Somehow he knew that everything would be okay. The remorse would come back from time to time, and he would hurt, but Becky had shown him that this kind of pain didn't last forever. Trespasses could be forgiven, and wounds could heal.

Yes… somehow, everything would be okay.

The faintest of smiles slowly curled up his lips, but it wasn't so faint that it could escape his mother's notice.

"I take it you enjoyed your party, dear," she said, donning a smile of her own as she glanced down at him.

"I did, Mother," he said without an accent, his gaze still dreamily hovering over the sink in front of him.

"I hope you'll remember to thank Becky the next time you see her. That girl put a copious amount of work into planning this for you."

Tobey smiled, suddenly smitten with a fantasy of WordGirl sticking her finger in the air and saying, 'Copious means big, a bunch, or a lot.'

"I will," he respectfully answered her charge. He didn't bother to mention that he'd thanked Becky earlier, because he hardly felt like he'd thanked her enough. He wanted to do something for her. Something as amazing as what she'd done for him, although a part of him doubted that was even possible. There had to be _some_ way he could repay her kindness… or try at the very least.

"Mom," he ventured tentatively, "When is Becky's birthday?"

His mother turned from her dish washing and looked down at his earnest face with a surprised yet admiring expression. "I believe it's on August 9th."

August 9th… That gave him a couple of months to think of something.

"Tobey," his mother cut into his contemplation. "Would you be interested in applying to a university or two next year?"

Tobey froze with his hand on the water knob and looked up at his mother in disbelief while a stream of hot water superfluously flowed into the empty sink. "What?"

"Mind the faucet, dear."

Tobey shut off the water and abruptly turned back to his mother, repeating his inquiry with the same incredulous tone.

"If you think you're ready, I could set up a GED exam for you at the end of the school year. If you pass, you could have your high school diploma and begin college as soon as you please afterward."

Tobey just stared at her, eyes gaping. Was she really suggesting this? After all the rants and lectures he'd either provoked or overheard about how important socialization with other children was, he never thought _she_ would be the one to suggest he skip high school altogether. If _he'd_ had the idea, he would've been afraid to even mention it.

She glanced down at him. His expression must have looked more aghast than shocked, judging by the concerned frown that she gave in response.

"Of course," she amended, "there's no pressure if you don't want to."

"I want to!"

Tobey pumped his arms on impulse, grateful that the dish in his hand didn't shatter when he unceremoniously dropped it in the sink. "I want to! I most definitely want to!"

Of _course_ he wanted to. Why, to finally be able to work at his skill level and not have to deal with the daily unpleasantness of being surrounded by immature children who treated his brilliance like a defect or a handicap… It would be bliss.

His mother gave an endearing chuckle. "Very well, dear. I'll look into the exam tomorrow and see if I can't obtain the necessary paperwork."

Positively lightheaded with joy, Tobey flung his arms around his mother, grinning up at her. "Oh, thank you, Mom! Thank you so much!"

"You should thank Becky," she said, stroking his hair. "She's the one who planted the idea in my head."

Tobey froze. "What? Sh—She did?"

His mother nodded. "Earlier today, in fact. She was concerned about your future, the little angel. I hope you realize how fortunate you are to have a friend like her, Tobey."

« « « « « ж » » » » »

Tobey wandered into his room as if in a trance. How? How could she be so gracious? Single-handedly, it seemed, she was solving every problem in his life one at a time. It was as if she wouldn't rest until all the feelings of neglect and rejection and anger that had dominated his heart for years had dissolved away in a tidal wave of kindness. It was more than he could have ever wished for… and far more, he was certain, than he could ever deserve.

He glanced over to his bed and blinked in surprise. There, atop the blue and green comforter that he had carefully tucked in this morning, was a large box sloppily wrapped in maroon paper and topped with a fluffy purple bow made of curly ribbon. Tobey murmured in confusion and stepped over to the package, looking it over with befuddled interest. There was no to/from tag, nor any writing on the gift wrap itself. Though it must be a birthday gift, he presumed, and so he tore open the paper and opened the flaps of the box to look inside.

It was a pillow. A large red pillow with WordGirl's yellow insignia embroidered in the middle. Tobey frowned in confusion and pulled the pillow out of the box, revealing a much smaller item underneath it. Tobey reached in and picked up a plastic case with a picture on the front—WordGirl striking a battle pose while several villains poised to attack her. He instinctively opened the case and found a sticky note affixed to the game disc. The writing on it was neatly penned with a simple message.

 _'_ _Let's fight together from now on.'_

Suddenly, Tobey understood. This was the WordGirl video game that he'd played with Becky a few weeks ago. If memory served, they had also had a pillow fight that day. Both times, he and Becky had been on the same side, fighting _together_. He remembered how much better it had felt than fighting against her.

That sting in the eyes he'd felt earlier came back with triple the intensity, and before he knew it he felt hot a tear streak down his face. He picked up the pillow and hugged it to his chest, burying his face in its soft, fluffy form. It was gentle and comforting… just like the girl who'd given it to him.

With his heart pounding and fluttering at the same time, Tobey sighed and flopped onto his bed on his back, still clutching the WordGirl pillow in front of him, but peeking over its top at the ceiling overhead. She was so perfect. The perfect friend. Indeed, it seemed as though she'd made it her mission to solve all of his problems. Unfortunately, there was one problem she couldn't solve, because she herself was at the heart of it.

"You know," said the familiar, unwelcome voice of the Narrator, "Life would probably be a lot simpler for you if you'd just admit that you like her."

Tobey glared at the ceiling and adamantly insisted, "I don't _like_ her!" He quieted, his frown crumbled, and he gripped his pillow tighter with trembling fingers as he morosely added, "I love her."

"Oh," the Narrator uttered stupidly. "I don't know why I didn't see that coming."

Tobey's ire returned with baleful force. "And if you ever tell anyone, I'll build a robot that can tear open the space-time continuum, find whatever dimension your body is in and—!"

"Whoa! Easy there! Your, uh— _secret_ —is safe with me."

He partly coughed the word 'secret' as though insinuating something, but Tobey didn't care. His momentary flash of anger had passed, and now he was left stewing in a deep melancholy.

He'd finally done it. He'd finally admitted the embarrassing truth that he had always denied. Unfortunately, now that he had accepted that he loved her, he had to accept the unavoidable consequence. He wanted her to love him back. And she, with no small uncertainty, never would.

But why should that surprise him? He should have known that he was giving up any chance of requited love when he set himself against her as an enemy. Considering all he'd done to her, it was a miracle she even wanted to be his friend. It was unfathomable to even hope that she would ever want to be more.

Tobey heaved a resigned, heavyhearted sigh, then set aside her precious gift and sat up. He reached for the open video game case lying beside him on the bed, and carefully peeled Becky's note from the disc inside. He then got to his feet and stepped over to the corkboard on the wall which held his cherished newspaper clipping—the picture of WordGirl from the day he'd first laid eyes on her beautiful face. He reached behind his ear and fished out a simple black bobby pin, then used it to fasten the sticky note to the faded newspaper picture. His teary eyes came to rest on a single word written in Becky's own hand.

 _Together..._

A tear trickled down his cheek, and a determined frown steeled his face.

No. He could never hope to win her heart. He didn't deserve to. But _…_

If she wanted to be his friend, then he would do everything within his power to be the best friend he could possibly be. He would be hers to whatever end she saw fit. To go where she beckoned him. To ask what she would of him. To _be_ anything, _do_ anything, or _give_ anything, anything at all, for _her_ sake.

And with that resolve he realized that the answer to his ever haunting question—'what now?'—had finally been answered.

« ... »

 _If there are words for Him, then I don't have them…_

 _My God, His grace is remarkable. Mercies are innumerable. Strength is impenetrable. He is honorable, accountable, favorable. He's unsearchable yet knowable, indefinable yet approachable, indescribable yet personal. He is beyond comprehension, further than imagination…_

 _But if there are words for Him, then I don't have them. You see, my words are few. And to try and capture the one true God, using my vocabulary would never do. But I use words as an expression. An expression of worship to a Savior. A Savior who is both worthy and deserving of my praise. So I use words…_

 _He has won my heart, captured my mind, and has bound them both together. He has defeated me in my rebellion, conquered me in my sin. He has welcomed me into His presence, completely invited me in. He has made Himself the object of my sight—flooding me with mercies in the morning, drowning me with grace in the night._

 _But if there are words for Him, then I don't have them. But what I do have is good news. For my God knew that man-made words would never do. The words are just tools that we use to point to the truth. So He sent His son Jesus Christ as THE Word—living proof. He is the image of the invisible God…_

 _So praise Him for His life—the way he persevered in strife. The humble son of God becoming the perfect sacrifice. Praise Him for His death—that He willingly stood in our place. That He lovingly endured the grave. That He battled our enemy and on the third day rose in victory. He is everything that was promised…_

 _So it's not just words that I proclaim. For my words point to THE Word. And The Word has a name. Hope has a name. Joy has a name. Peace has a name. Love has a name._

 _And that name is Jesus Christ._

— _Forever by Kari Job (spoken word message by Isaac Wimberley)_

* * *

 **Sweet mother of monkey milk, I did it! XD It's… finished… It's actually finished. *takes a deep breath* I tell ya, that feeling never gets old. :3 Well, I guess this means it's time for me to select a winner for 'By Jove, You've Rocked My Review.' (if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about, the explanation is after the author's notes for chapter 9) I'll keep the contest open for a couple of days so that reviews for this chapter can be considered, and after that I'll select a winner and inform them by PM so that they can choose a scene for me to rewrite. Once I've finished, I'll publish the scene as a bonus chapter, and then _Saving Tobey_ will be officially marked 'complete.' :)**

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Goat Cheese_ _—_ In the episode 'Of Two Minds,' Dr. Two-Brains is so ecstatic over his discovery of an asteroid made entirely out of cheese that he announces to WordGirl that he is giving up villainy since he no longer needs to steal cheese. He sincerely means it, too… until he discovers that the cheesteroid, as he so aptly named it, is made out of goat cheese (the one kind of cheese he doesn't like, according to his henchmen :P). My siblings thought that, since I made a joke in earlier chapters of WordGirl being Tobey's 'cheese,' it would be funny for DTB to have a mano y mano talk with Tobey about girls, using horribly ambiguous cheese analogies and of course leaving the poor boy utterly confused. XP**

 **- _Katie's Present_ _—_ In 'It's Your Party and I'll Cry if I Want To,' Tobey impulsively decides to give Katie a birthday gift. Since the only thing he has on hand is a robot (freshly destroyed by WordGirl, I might add), he unscrews one of its eyes and gives it to Katie. :P She accepts it gratefully, though it's fairly obvious that she has no use for it. I thought it would be cool if she turned it into something and then gave it back to him. Since it's implied that craft-savvy Violet is good friends with Katie, I figured it was the perfect co-op present for them to give him.**

 **- _Becky's Birthday_ _—_ Again, no special reason for this date. I went with August instead of July because peridot won me over in the end. Sorry, Jonquil Gemstone. :( You did indirectly inspire the choice, though, by mentioning birthstones in the first place. ;)**

 **- _Ju_ _st Friends?!_ _—_ I wonder if anyone is surprised that even though I finished a novel-length story about Becky and Tobey's relationship, and even though it's obvious that I'm totally shipping them, I didn't have them actually get together in the end… Give me a break, okay? It was hard enough just dragging them into a _friendship_ without it being OOC! DX I chose to end this story with Tobey and Becky being friends not simply because I think they're still a bit too young to date (though, indeed, I think they are), or because I think friendship is the obligatory purgatory that their relationship must go through in order for a romance to make sense. I did it because friendship is the essential foundation that they _must_ have in order for their relationship to be meaningful and healthy. Plus, I honestly think people these days don't give friendship enough credit. Friendship is love in its purest and simplest form. It's the one type of relationship that is completely transcendent. The happiest people are not those who have found what today's culture has deemed 'true love,' but those who have surrounded themselves with friends. Your lover can be your friend, for sure, but so can your boss. Your coworkers, parents, siblings, even your _pets_ can be your friends. I firmly believe that all healthy relationships are friendships. :) That being said, I hope most of you will be happy to know that this isn't my final word on the matter. 8) In fact, I've been working on a sequel of sorts to _Saving Tobey_ for quite some time. I'm not sure exactly when I'll start posting it, but I expect it to be relatively soon after I mark 'Saving Tobey' officially _completed_. I hope y'all will check it out! ;D**

 **- _An Epilogue to an Epilogue_ _—_ As was the case with Chapter 21, this chapter works great as an ending. Even still, I kind of wanted to do a (hopefully _short_ ) epilogue showing part of _Becky's_ birthday. A few people have told me, though, that they think the ending has started to drag and that the story really needs to end already. So, I think what I'm going to do is write my little epilogue as a oneshot, and it will kind of work like a bumper between _Saving Tobey_ and the sequel that I mentioned. Wish me luck!**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Beautiful, Beautiful_ _" by_ _Francesca Battistelli_ _—_ This is the hope that Tobey finally sees through all the pain and hardship. The realization that somehow he actually came through his short career as a villain a good person, and that he has Becky's faith in him to thank for it. :)**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _The Beauty and the Tragedy_ _" by_ _Trading Yesterday_ _—_ This is the wistful resolve that Tobey has made at the end of everything that's happened. He doesn't think there's a chance she'll ever reciprocate his feelings, but even so, he wouldn't change those feelings for anything. Heck, the title alone is a pretty near perfect description of where he finds himself—emotionally, at least. T-T**

 **- _Theme Song: "_ _Best of Me_ _" by_ _The Letter Black_ _—_ Pretty self-explanatory, this one. :)**

 **Whoo! Talk about word vomit! So, in summary for those who cared enough to read through all this: I'll be posting the prize for my review game, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. _Then_ , if I can find the inspiration, I'll be posting a oneshot having to do with Becky's birthday. _Then_ I'll begin publishing another chapterfic that takes place some time after this one. Looks like I have a busy month ahead of me. *.* Anyway, thanks again, everyone! It's been one heck of a ride! :)**


	27. Premiate (Bonus Content)

**Foreword:**

 **Well, here's the bonus chapter. I'll go ahead and admit that I had a REEAAAALLLY hard time picking a winner. I had the list narrowed down to multiple people who each left several beautiful reviews, and I was having trouble just picking one review for each of them, much less just picking one winner. So, I just gave up. I didn't want to tear my hair out trying to pick my favorite review. I'd rather spend that time and energy writing. My decision, as such, was to opt for the simple solution: pick more than one winner. So, I've done two prize scenes, one for each of my winners (I actually wanted to pick three winners, but I'll complain more about that later :P). Before we get started, I'd like to thank both of my winners for giving me such awesome material to work with. I had lots of fun writing both of these bonus sections, and I hope you'll be satisfied with the result. I'd also like to again thank ALL of my readers, and I hope to see you all come back for my upcoming fanfiction projects. :)**

* * *

Premiate [ **pree** -mee-eyt] – to grant a prize or an award to.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

 _ **And now, without further ado, the runner-up of 'By Jove, You've Rocked My Review' is… *dramatic drumroll*… Misty-gold! *fanfare***_

 **This golden girl left a veritable bouquet of meaningful, insightful, emotionally-charged reviews detailing her thoughts on the story, how the characters were growing and changing, and most importantly—how everything made her _feel_. The feelings of our readers are very important to us authors, and I wish I could have offered a prize to every wonderful person who shared their feelings about the story with me. Since that clearly isn't feasible, I chose the person who I thought put the most heart and soul into communicating their feelings. :) For her prize she requested the opening scene from chapter 23, "Instauration," from a certain little brother's perspective. Time for more feelings, it seems! XD**

It had been a strange couple of weeks for TJ Botsford.

When his sister had told him and Mom and Dad that she was WordGirl, he'd thought she was joking. When she proved it before their eyes, he'd thought he was dreaming. And for some time after that, he hadn't known _what_ to think.

His sister was WordGirl.

What was he supposed to do with that? Should he be happy? Upset? Honored? Ashamed? Worried?

He didn't know. He couldn't decide. Right now he just felt… confused. He _hated_ feeling confused. If there was one thing he'd always prided himself on, it was his confidence. Even when he didn't understand something, it rarely bothered him. That was why his best friend Johnson looked up to him so much. _Johnson_ was the one who hesitated and wavered and had to stumble through a slow, frustrating mental process in order to figure anything out. Not TJ. TJ was _always_ sure of himself about _everything_.

But not about this. Somehow, this was different.

TJ grumbled under his breath and turned his focus back to rummaging around under his bed. He didn't like pondering over matters of the heart. He was nine years old, for crying out loud! He would rather keep digging through the clutter in his messy room looking for his missing baseball glove.

Even that distraction, however, got irritating after half an hour, and he impulsively huffed out of his room and down the hall, snapping as he stepped into the doorway of the nearest room, "Becky, I can't find my—WHOA!"

He jerked backwards, eyes bugging at the sight of his sister hovering in midair between the bed and the ceiling. Becky gasped and dropped the bag that she'd been holding, spilling its contents all over her bed. Then she turned to face him with her own wide-eyed expression.

The shock wore off almost as fast as it had come, but TJ could still feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"Oh, sorry, TJ," Becky mumbled, looking and sounding as embarrassed as TJ felt, and she landed gracefully on the floor next to the bed.

"No, that's—that's okay," TJ said, trying not to let his own shame show on his face. He reached for his chest as though to still his heartbeat and let loose a sigh to buy time while he thought of an excuse. "I'm just—still getting used to it, that's all."

It was true enough.

A monkey laugh drew his eyes to Becky's bed, where TJ noticed for the first time that Bob was lounging and smiling mischievously. The siblings both frowned at him together, and he responded with a shrug and started picking up the stuff Becky had spilled.

 _Oh,_ _that's right_ _…_ _Bob is_ _Captain Huggyface._

TJ had to keep reminding himself of _that_ fact. It was hard enough accepting that _one_ member of his family had a secret life as a superhero. As unsuited as Becky still seemed to the role of WordGirl, the idea of Bob the fridge-raiding diaper-wearing fraidy-monkey being WordGirl's sidekick was almost enough to make TJ reconsider his 'dreaming' theory.

His baseball glove wasn't worth staying in this awkward situation any longer, so TJ turned to leave, hoping he could sneak away before—

"Um… TJ?"

 _Aw, nuts…_

"Yeah?" he answered, trying to sound casual as he looked back at Word—at _Becky_.

Oddly enough, the girl was quiet for a moment, looking thoughtful and maybe even a little worried. He was about to ask what she wanted again, when she took a breath and quietly said, "You're not—mad at me, are you?"

TJ was surprised. She looked nervous—scared, even. Did she really care that much what he thought of her? He figured that, being a superhero and all, WordGirl would have no need to trouble herself about one boy's opinion of her.

But, TJ remembered suddenly, she wasn't _just_ WordGirl. She was _Becky_ , and Becky had _always_ cared about her family. It was an important part of who she was, like justice was to WordGirl. That realization, obvious though it was, gave TJ what he could only identify as a whole new respect for her. _Both_ of her.

Great. Now she had him thinking about things like 'identity' and 'respect.' He was too young for this…

"Why would I be mad?" TJ asked.

Becky shifted uncomfortably, looking down at her fingers as she tapped them together. "For… being WordGirl? Or, for not telling you I was WordGirl? I don't know…"

He wasn't really sure how to respond to that. Even _before_ the mind-blowing revelation that she was WordGirl, TJ had never given much thought to how he felt about her. She was just—his sister. That had always been the simple and self-explanatory nature of their relationship. When he was little they had fought more than they got along, but he'd never had a problem with her beyond what he thought was normal.

He had also never contemplated whether or not he actually _liked_ her. Not the way he'd constantly thought about how much he liked WordGirl. The way he liked WordGirl was _different_ , though. He liked her because there wasn't really anything _not_ to like. She was a superhero. A celebrity. A far-off wonder with no visible flaws. Even though he'd always known WordGirl had a secret identity, he'd never really considered that, in private, she might be a laughably normal girl with all the quirks, bad habits, and annoying tendencies of a typical big sister.

Now he was being forced to face all these conundrums that he used to be content to never think about. Worse, it looked like he would also have to decide how he actually _felt_ about it all. That's all he needed right now—to add even more complexity to his already frustrating struggle to reconcile his long-admired heroine with the smarty-pants sister he'd grown up with. He was _waaay_ too young for this.

"I don't really know," he said at last. "I don't think I'm _mad._ I'm more like…"

He trailed off, trying to figure out how to explain something he didn't even really understand…

After a moment, Becky jumped in to 'help.' "Repulsed? Disconcerted? Discombobulated?"

TJ blinked, feeling even more confused than he had a few seconds ago. "I… don't know what any of those words mean."

Becky opened her mouth and stuck a finger in the air, and TJ threw up his hands to stop her before she could rattle his nine-year-old brain even worse. "I don't need you to define 'em, Becky! I just…"

He trailed off again, face downcast, mind swimming. Becky remained silent, but her tense, fidgety posture told him that she was on pins and needles waiting to hear what he would say.

What _would_ he say? How _did_ he really feel? He suspected that if he thought about it too hard, he'd only confuse himself even more and possibly give himself a headache. So, he decided to just attack this head-on, like ripping off a band-aid.

"It's super weird," he blurted out. "And it'll probably take a really long time for it to _stop_ being super weird… but once it does, I mean…"

He went quiet for one more moment, then smiled up at Becky and simply said, "My sister is WordGirl. How awesome is _that_?"

And there it was. Somehow, by asking him how he felt, she had also helped him decide how he felt. No wonder she was such a good hero, if she could help people without even trying.

Out of nowhere, it seemed, Becky's nervous, dejected expression slowly broke into a tearful smile.

"Almost as cool as _you,_ " she replied, her voice quivering with emotion.

"Oh, no," TJ said, taking a step back. "If you're gonna mush out on me, I'm outta here."

With that he made a break for it, dashing back into his own room and slamming the door behind him. He'd just have to find that stupid glove later. He'd been wrong, though… it _had_ been worth sticking around.

He grimaced and shook his head, ashamed at the sappiness of the sentiment. However, despite his most stubborn self-rebuke for his weakness, he found himself smiling.

 _She thinks I'm cool._

The thought warmed him inside, and he wondered for a moment whether it was directed at WordGirl or Becky. Then, in a small moment of clarity, he realized that it didn't matter… and that somehow warmed him even more.

« « « « « ж » » » » »

 _ **And now, ladies and gentlemen, the Grand Prize winner of 'By Jove, You've Rocked My Review' is… *another dramatic drumroll*… CorinnetheAnime! *more fanfare***_

 **Out of everyone who reviewed with any consistency, CTA was the one who _most_ consistently left the most descriptive, most detailed, and most thought-through reviews. She analyzed everything she could think to analyze, from the characters' subconscious motivations to the reasoning behind the chapter titles (sometimes she even came up with a better reason than I did and I was all, "Suuuuure… let's go with that." *innocent grin*). Such consideration and attention to even the minutia of the story is everything I could hope for from a reader. :3 I gave her a little slack on her prize as her request is one that technically requires _two_ scenes to adequately explore: Tobey's running away in chapter 18 and later homecoming in chapter 22, through the eyes of the person he hurt most.**

Claire McCallister awoke to a clattering noise. It sounded like it had come from downstairs. She was alert within seconds, flinging off her blankets. What was that? A burglar?

 _Tobey!_

Concern for her son leapt to the forefront of her mind, and she dashed into the hall as quickly and quietly as she could, not even taking the time to throw on her slippers or glasses. The tail of her nightgown swished through the air behind her, the wood floor was cold against her bare feet, and the darkness worsened her already poor vision. The door to Tobey's upstairs bedroom was open, and swinging gently on its hinges. Claire burst inside, and her breath caught in her throat when she didn't see him in bed.

"Tobey?"

She turned on the light and frantically searched the room, squinting desperately and repeating his name over and over. She tripped over something hard and heard a metallic _clank_. It was that wretched robot he'd been working on. The one that had provoked his last temper-tantrum when he discovered that its behavior program had been deleted. His robot was here, but there was no sign of Tobey. He wasn't in his bed, under his bed, or in the closet.

He'd vanished.

Claire's pulse throbbed rapidly, _painfully_ , as bizarre and frightening theories formed in her mind. Had he been kidnapped? Snatched by some sick opportunist or one of those dreadful villains he insisted on associating with? Would he be held for ransom? Would she receive a note the next morning?

She tried to calm herself, but her rational mind was failing her at the moment. The only sensible thing she could think to do was call the police and search the house for Tobey while they were on their way.

No sooner had the thought finished taking form, she was already jetting down the stairs, tact and subtlety abandoned. She was about to dive for the phone, when she noticed a faint shimmer on the floor. A thread of hopeful curiosity held back her panic for just a moment, and she stepped forward to investigate.

Kneeling down and squinting, she could at last see that the object was a flower vase that had shattered. The water that had spilled across the floor was reflecting moonlight. She looked up to find the source of the light, and saw that the back door was open, swinging lightly like Tobey's door had been. Through it she could see into the back yard, where her son stood unharmed.

Claire heaved a deep, conflicted sigh. She didn't know if she was more relieved or frustrated. To think she might've had a heart attack or called a SWAT team to the house over this. Just what on Earth did that boy think he was doing at this hour?

She slowly walked to the open door, scanning the yard beyond as it gradually came into view with her approach. A familiar but unwelcome sound cut into the quiet, and she watched the robot that she'd tripped over not two minutes ago hover down to her son.

Claire drew a breath sharply through her nose, her former worry giving way to anger. This was the last straw. Her heart couldn't take this anymore. Tobey feared her. Oh, that at least he certainly did. But he didn't _respect_ her. At least, not enough to hearken to her instruction and temper his passions for his own good. For all her best efforts, he seemed to have only become _more_ bold and belligerent in his villainous pursuits. Why, if WordGirl hadn't stopped him, he might have destroyed the corporate headquarters of one of the world's wealthiest companies not two weeks ago!

She'd tried _everything_ to get through to him—everything she could think of—except _one_ thing. When it had first occurred to her in a moment of hopeless despondency, she'd been hesitant to even consider it. It seemed excessive. Cruel, even. She didn't want to force her hand so ruthlessly. However, it was beginning to look as though she had no other choice. Tobey didn't respect property, didn't respect morality, didn't respect the law, and didn't even respect _her_. If he was going to start sneaking out of his room in the middle of the night on top of all that, she couldn't afford to hold back even the most desperate of measures to put a stop to it. She had to teach him to respect _something_ , else he really would be sent to jail at his first teenage mood swing. She couldn't allow that to happen. Not if there was something, _anything_ that she could do to prevent it.

Steeling herself, she erected her spine and stepped resolutely out into the cold night air.

Tobey didn't notice her at first. He was too absorbed in the buttons of the remote he held, watching the robot respond to them. She stopped just outside the doorway and willed sternness into her voice as she called out to him, "What do you think you're doing?"

Tobey turned to look at her, his expression unreadable from this distance without her glasses. His tone, unfortunately, was just as unreadable when he flatly answered, "Just testing my new robot, Mother."

Claire blinked, reigning in her frustration as she advanced toward him. She took slow, measured steps, drawing what little comfort she could from the feeling of cool, soft grass against the soles of her feet. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I know," Tobey replied. His tone was still blank, which his mother translated to _defiant_.

She stopped a few paces away from him, and let loose a long breath before she asked, "So, then… What do you intend to do with this 'new robot'?"

At this question Tobey seemed to shudder, but so slightly that Claire thought she must have imagined it. There was a heavy, drawn-out silence before he finally answered, "I don't know."

A chill wind swept across the yard, rustling the bushes. Claire gave no reaction, and made no effort to ward off the cold. She gathered her courage until the air fell still once more, and then she spoke. "You can't keep it, Tobey. I want it destroyed."

Tobey jolted, his stoic, defiant posture breaking instantly. Hopefully that was a good sign. He rounded on her, his face bleaching with shock. "What? But, I just _finished_ it! And it took me all _week_ to rewrite its behavior program after it was accidentally lost."

Claire swallowed a wave of apprehension and prepared for her final plunge. She was resorting to desperate measures, so there was no point in holding anything back. If her beloved son was to hate her, then so be it. That was better than losing him.

"It wasn't accidentally lost," she stated with as much composure as she could muster. " _I_ deleted it."

Tobey took a step back from her, his young eyes widening as if in horror. "You… _you_ did it? But… _why_?"

"Because this villain nonsense has gone on _far_ too long and I won't stand for it anymore. From now on you are not allowed to build robots _at all_. Understood?"

It took a moment for Tobey to respond. When he did, his voice was so fragile and pleading that Claire nearly forgot her resolve, but so angry that her own anger was roused to remember.

"Mother, you can't take this away from me! This is who I am!"

"I don't accept that, Tobey. If this is who you are, then you are _n_ _o_ _t_ the son I raised."

Tobey took a step back from her. He clutched his remote harder, and his pale face went suddenly red.

"How would _you_ know?!" he blasted in a rage. "You've never even _tried_ to understand me! You've never cared about _any_ of the things I care about!"

The boy's words were cutting, but her resolve was strong, and it held. " _E_ _nough_ , Tobey!" Claire shouted, matching his volume. "You give me that remote this instant!"

She expectantly reached out her hand, meeting Tobey's eyes with a grave seriousness in her own. He met them right back with a burning glare… and continued to back away from his mother toward his new robot.

Claire felt a stab of fear not unlike the one of a few minutes ago, and her resolve weakened.

"Son?" she muttered, abandoning her harsh tone.

A breath escaped his clenched teeth, and he hammered a button on his remote. Suddenly his robot wrapped two of its terrible appendages around him, binding him to its spherical body.

It's rockets activated, tearing through the silence with a roar and blasting hot currents of wind into the once cool, still air.

"Tobey!" Claire shouted, her terrified voice ringing uselessly into the night after her son.

His silhouette faded into a blur to her strained, squinting eyes, and she ran after him as long and as far as she could, jumping over the back fence of the yard and racing down the street in a panic. Screaming and panting, sweating and shivering, she followed the robot long after it had completely disappeared into the darkness.

When she could go on no longer she collapsed into a trembling, sobbing heap in the middle of a dark, deserted street… cursing herself.

« ... »

Claire rested a hand on the banister at the bottom of the staircase leading up to where she and her son slept—where they _had_ slept, until tonight.

Had it really been a mere few hours since Tobey ran away? The time she'd spent at the police station answering question after bloody question had felt like days, even though she'd be hard pressed to relay a single thing that had happened. It was all just a nightmarish blur of worry and guilt and terror. She was a mess.

Holding in yet another fresh wave of tears, she morosely began her journey up the cursed stairs.

How could she have let this happen? How could she have let things get so bad? She had tried so hard to be the best mother she could for Tobey, and yet it had _still_ come to this. He had left her, just like his father had left her. She still didn't even know why, only that it was her fault. She had driven him to this somehow. She had done… _something_. Maybe there was something she'd done too much, or maybe it was something she hadn't done enough. Regardless, she had failed in some key area that had pushed her darling son away from her, and now she might never get him back.

Her throat tightened in a sob, and she bit her lip to stop it from trembling. What was she supposed to do now? How could she live with herself knowing that Tobey was out there all alone getting himself into God-only-knew what sort of trouble? The idea sent a chill down her spine and yet another spear of guilt into her heart. She would never be able to bear it.

"Oh, God," she muttered, covering her face and weeping as she pulled herself limply up over the last stair, "Please… _Please_ bring my baby home…"

She almost walked past Tobey's room, but stopped in front of the door. It was closed now, though she couldn't remember when she'd closed it. She gazed at it longingly for a moment. Then, with a preemptive feeling of regret already throbbing in her chest, she caved to the irrational impulse to look inside.

She placed her fingers on the knob, took a wavering breath, and slowly, timidly opened the door. She kept her eyes downcast, afraid to look up and relive the horrific moment when she thought she'd lost her son, and minutes later actually had. Putting her fear aside, she lifted her head.

And there, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, was Tobey.

Claire froze. Was she dreaming? Or was she perhaps just now waking up from a terrible nightmare? She didn't have time to ponder these questions, for the boy looked up and met her eyes almost instantly.

"Tobey?" she murmured in disbelief.

Tobey swallowed and hung his head. "Mom," he muttered sorrowfully.

Claire bolted forward and fell to her knees in front of him. Her heart was overflowing with far too many emotions for her to process at once, and yet somehow the one that rose to the surface was still anger.

"What in the world were you _thinking_?!" she demanded, seizing his shoulders and shaking him violently. "How could you, Tobey?! Do you have any idea how—how—?!"

Her attack fell apart on her tongue, and for a moment she just sat there clutching his arms in an iron grip. Her ire had burned out quickly and the emotion that rose to take its place was pure, unadulterated relief. Tobey was _here_. He was _safe_. He had come _back_ to her.

The child hung limp in her grasp, staring up at her with gaping eyes that bore neither hatred nor malice. Before she could find her voice again to speak, his eyes drifted shut, and he collapsed against her. She gasped in surprise, reflexively gathering up his small body in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he murmured weakly. His voice, muffled though it was by her clothing, was heavy with regret.

Claire felt as if her heart might burst.

 _"_ _Thank you…"_ She mouthed the words silently, looking up at the ceiling with tearstained eyes. _"Thank you… so much…"_

She smiled and held her sweet boy tight, making an irrational promise to herself that she would never let go of him again.

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 **Honorable Mentions:**

OleanderOwl / Anonymims — Your review of chapter 4 was one of my top 3, and I _really_ wanted to offer you a scene rewrite as well, but since you made it quite impossible for me to do so, I shall content myself with thanking you here, from the bottom of my heart, for leaving multiple reviews that touched me, encouraged me, and reminded me of why I do this. Your words were greatly appreciated! :3

Debandra — You were the very first to review this story, and always had something thoughtful and encouraging to say. Thanks for that!

Lucinda Cottontale — What can I say? Without you, half the stuff in the story worth having there wouldn't have even made it to the table. Thanks for your invaluable help with _all_ of my projects!

Griselda Banks — Not many friends will sit through dozens of episodes of a cheesy educational cartoon just so they can read a fanfic you wrote about said cheesy cartoon, and then on _top_ of that review almost every chapter of that fanfic. Sometimes I don't feel like I deserve you, Gris. Thanks for being awesome! :3

Serene Mariposa — You consistently gave thoughtful reviews as well as helpful criticism, and my sister was happy that you complimented her artwork, which also made me happy. Thanks a bunch!

Jonquil Gemstone — In addition to all the reviews you'd left before, you left a beautiful review for the last chapter and even checked out / reviewed some of my stories for other fandoms. That meant a lot to me. Thank you.

AdelineQuinn — Your one little mention that you would be following my new blog was enough to tempt me to give you a prize. I didn't think that would be fair to the other participants, though. X) Regardless, I want you to know how much that meant to me. I hope you'll enjoy what my sister and I (eventually) publish on there.

Guitar Amateur — I was so thrilled to see that someone I don't even know took the time to watch WordGirl just because of this fic, and that you even sort of used this fic as a lens to form your opinions of the characters as you watched. Thanks so much for sharing your experience of WordGirl with me. It really made my day!

ma cook — You were so diligent about reading and reviewing the story that you accidentally left a review as me once. XP Thanks, mom! :D

TheyTookMyUsername and TheCopyUniverse —You guys almost never said much, but you almost always said something, and I really appreciate that. :)

My little brother — You may not even have an account on this site, but without the seed of inspiration you provided back in 2015, this story never would have come about. You also provided the design for the robot Tobey builds in this story. Here's to you, kid! ;)

And many, many others too numerous to mention. If you read, reviewed, or recommended this story in any way, consider yourself acknowledged and greatly valued. :)

« ... »

 _Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus._

— _Philippians 3:13-14_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **- _Aren't we forgetting something?_ _—_ Some of you might be wondering why I didn't bother to address TJ's crush on WordGirl in the one scene I wrote from his POV. I mean, this is something that is _clearly_ established in the canon and therefore needs to be dealt with once he knows who she is, right? Well, there are a couple reasons why I didn't bother to go into this. First, it would just be plain weird. #_# Second, I think that TJ's 'crush' on WordGirl is superficial in the sense that she is a celebrity and he is enamored with her the same way lots of silly kids become enamored with celebrities. As such, I really don't think it goes that deep. Plus, I think that TJ, being as young and impish as he is, wouldn't exactly _feel_ a crush the way an older, more emotionally developed boy would. To put it simply, I really think TJ's feelings toward WordGirl were always more like childish admiration than boyish adoration, and as such, I really don't think he'd get heartbroken in the least at finding out she's his sister. He may have initially felt a little of the shock-induced disgust that we saw in 'Two-Brains Forgets,' but I already said my piece about _that_ business several chapters ago.**

 **- _The Broken Vase_ _(and other crossover notes)_ _—_ You may not remember, but I actually did mention Tobey knocking something over on his way out of the house back in "Decathect," though I never mentioned what it was. I did this because I considered at the time that there needed to be a solid reason for Claire to wake up. That ended up working quite well for me, but you'd be surprised how much trouble I had avoiding continuity conflicts with the original scene. *_* For instance, it was pointed out to me that it didn't make sense for Claire to check Tobey's room without turning the light on, but I realize that it was never mentioned in the original scene from Tobey's viewpoint that the light in his room was on when he called his robot down from there. DX I suppose I could retroactively fix this to fit, but I don't think a mention of the lights would really fit in that scene and would ultimately just be confusing and unnecessary. So, I'll just let it be a minor continuity error since I'm probably the only person who would ever notice it anyway. :P**

 ** _-_ _The Closed Door_ _—_ Speaking of continuity errors, I created _another_ one while rewriting the reunion scene. X( When Claire goes up to Tobey's room, it doesn't make sense for his door to be closed, since this is her first time coming back home after Tobey ran away and there's no way she would've closed it when she came running downstairs. There's really nothing for this, however, aside from rewriting the beginning of the scene yet again to show that she's been home for a while. I don't really feel like doing that just to fill such a tiny plot hole, so I'm just going to confess my sin and move on. *shrugs* Maybe the police closed the door when they came to check out the house or something… Yeaaaahh... let's go with that. :P**

 ** _\- "_ _I'm sorry, too…"_ _—_ It was quite the dilemma deciding whether or not to include Claire's apology a the end of the scene, there. Although I made it a point to show from Tobey's viewpoint that he wasn't sure whether she said it or not, it's always been my headcanon that she did. I felt that the scene ended better without it, though, and since I went to the trouble of making it ambiguous in the original scene, I figured I might as well leave it ambiguous permanently. Feel free to decide for yourselves if you think Claire apologized to Tobey after the scene ended. ;)**

 **- _The_ _me Song: "_ _In_ _M_ _y Arms_ _" by_ _Plumb_ _—_ I was hesitant to mention this one, because it really doesn't fit _that_ well, but I still think it captures Claire's heart at the end of all this, especially the apprehension about what's coming in the future, as well as the promise that her child will always have her love, and always be safe in her arms. :3**


End file.
